Chelsea Felton is amazing! In everything she does she places her patients first, her unit second, and herself third. In the time I have known her, Chelsea has grown into one of the most knowledgeable, conscientious and caring nurses and patient advocates of which I have had the honor to work with. Recently, Chelsea came onto her shift and received a patient whose cardiac enzymes were trending upward. She stayed with the patient advocating for his care until he was taken to the cardiac cath lab.
Perhaps the finest example of Chelsea's ability came a few months ago when our unit received an off service patient who was extremely confused and in restraints. As the patient slowly emerged from his delirium Chelsea recognized his specific needs and went above and beyond in caring for him. Confused, the patient never knew what time it was or when to expect things like meals and medications. He constantly shouted at those in the hall asking what time it was and when he could eat. With the help of our unit secretary, a large clock was drawn on the whiteboard to help explain time and when the patient could expect things to occur. Chelsea began testing him regarding time and working with him to become better oriented. Recognizing that the patient had been confined to bed for many days, Chelsea reached out to our mobility tech, to have him walk with the patient several times a day. Chelsea also noticed that the patient had lost a lot of weight and had little appetite for the food provided.
She purchased the patient numerous snacks from the gift shop that he could safely eat. Slowly, the patient regained his strength and became more alert and oriented. On her final day with the patient, Chelsea asked him what time it was, the patient looked at the clock and said, "well the little hand is on the eight and the big hand is on the one, so it's 8:05?". By recognizing this patient's specific needs, going the many extra steps needed and working successfully with others Chelsea was able to make a profound difference in this patient's life and well-being. It is impossible to fully detail the tremendous effort that Chelsea put into her care of this patient but it was undoubtedly life-changing for him.