Sony George
June 2024
Sony
George
,
RN
Gastroenterology Unit
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Leicester
,
Leicester
United Kingdom

 

 

 

Without Sony, there would have been many occasions where I would not have had the nutrition I needed.
I was a patient on ward 42 for two months. It was an extremely difficult admission as I am also autistic. I felt very misunderstood whilst in hospital, and I am sensitive to the way in which people communicate with me. As I came in due to my restrictive eating, it wasn't easy to accept nutrition and treatment. Sony was the nurse who built my trust, enabling me to eventually engage, such as allowing her to re-insert an NG tube without the need for additional staff. She sat with me through mealtimes where she could and, therefore, did not need supplements passed through the NG. She took an approach that worked, meaning I got the nutrition I needed (but found it difficult to accept). Without Sony, there would have been many occasions where I would not have had the nutrition I needed. She treated me like a human and not like a problem. As someone who is autistic, being in a hospital environment is traumatic. Sony made me feel safe. She took me out on leave when I had calmed down from being in high distress, as she knew being off the ward helped. She may not think she did much, but she made a real difference to me.