Jacqui Mellott, BSN, RN Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Oncology nursing is a very difficult, stress filled and demanding profession.

Responding to the medical and physical needs of a complicated and critically ill oncology patient (as a result of septic shock that “hit” his heart, lungs, liver and kidneys) requires a special kind of skill. Not only did Jacqui exhibit the competence needed to insure that the spouse and patients’ questions and concerns were answered but, during the incident, actually questioned and corrected an oversight.

Just as important as imparting remarkable nursing skills, Jacqui put her heart and soul into giving my husband, Don, a consistent infusion of what I call the “Medical Human Healing Element.” She incorporated patient-nursing responsibilities with the potentially healing aspect of diverting the mind away from his rare incurable blood cancer and the stress of being in hospital to, in my husbands case, talking baseball, the game, the player and the scores – in effect giving his mind and body a respite – a “time out” – “down time” if you will. This allowed the mind to help the body heal.

Jacqui was aware that, before going “on the floor”, he had been critical as a result of septic shock that damaged and shut down all of his major organs. She realized that Don was one of the few patients to survive this event. She dubbed him “Superman” and presented him with a cape with the Superman logo on the back. Her “infusion” worked and he smiled for the first time after being transferred to 6 different areas of the hospital in nearly 2 weeks.

I once read that, according to Hubert Humphrey, “The moral test of a Society is how it treats those who are… in the shadow of life – the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” Thanks to the nursing skills, but more importantly, the “Human Element” Jacqui infused into his treatment, she rates an A++ in society’s moral test. And an A++ in the test of being a special nurse and a special human being.

Submitted by:
Marlyn Elliott
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Elliot