Angie
Bauer
May 2012
Angie
Bauer
,
RN
Medical Telemetry/Intermediate Care
Mayo Clinic Health System - Eau Claire
Eau Claire
,
WI
United States
Nursing is not a 9-to-5 job. Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning, patients’ fears can get the best of them.
That’s when a nurse like Angie Bauer of Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire is just what is needed.
“I remember this like it was yesterday,” Angie recalls of the patient who nominated her for the May DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. “She was a very sick lady, and I sat down next to her and held her hand and explained how sick she was. It was three o’clock in the morning.
“She put me on the phone with a family member to help explain how severe her disease was and the many life changes she had in store. She had a very stressful job and family. We went for a walk and found a yoga magazine in the lobby; that hit the spot for her at four o’clock in the morning.”
Talking, holding hands, walking. None of these took long, but the effect on the patient was profound. “Angie is an amazing and caring person,” the patient writes. “She went above and beyond in caring for me. Angie’s professionalism stood out. She made sure that things were clear to me and had very comforting words when I was hurting. Mayo Clinic is lucky to have her on your staff.”
An overnight shift sometimes allows more personal interaction with patients, Angie notes. After busy days, sometimes patients can’t wind down and sleep. “If you can spend even 10 minutes with somebody, just knowing you are there can make a difference, Angie says. “Nursing is a lot more than getting your task list done. There are things you can’t necessarily check off in a computer.”
Angie says she feels lucky to work with the nurses in the Medical Telemetry/Intermediate Care Department who are willing to help each other out when needed. In fact, her supervisor called in a special surprise guest, her husband, on the day Angie received her DAISY Award.
That’s when a nurse like Angie Bauer of Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire is just what is needed.
“I remember this like it was yesterday,” Angie recalls of the patient who nominated her for the May DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. “She was a very sick lady, and I sat down next to her and held her hand and explained how sick she was. It was three o’clock in the morning.
“She put me on the phone with a family member to help explain how severe her disease was and the many life changes she had in store. She had a very stressful job and family. We went for a walk and found a yoga magazine in the lobby; that hit the spot for her at four o’clock in the morning.”
Talking, holding hands, walking. None of these took long, but the effect on the patient was profound. “Angie is an amazing and caring person,” the patient writes. “She went above and beyond in caring for me. Angie’s professionalism stood out. She made sure that things were clear to me and had very comforting words when I was hurting. Mayo Clinic is lucky to have her on your staff.”
An overnight shift sometimes allows more personal interaction with patients, Angie notes. After busy days, sometimes patients can’t wind down and sleep. “If you can spend even 10 minutes with somebody, just knowing you are there can make a difference, Angie says. “Nursing is a lot more than getting your task list done. There are things you can’t necessarily check off in a computer.”
Angie says she feels lucky to work with the nurses in the Medical Telemetry/Intermediate Care Department who are willing to help each other out when needed. In fact, her supervisor called in a special surprise guest, her husband, on the day Angie received her DAISY Award.