Chris Wiseman's excellence in patient care deserves recognition among his peers, supervisors, and hospital administrators. During my recent stay, Chris saved my emotional health regarding an unplanned medical procedure; a procedure in my mind which paralyzed me with fear and anxiety - an angiogram.
Thirty-five years ago my father suffered a heart attack. 20 years later, he never ceased to talk about the tortures he underwent while the hospital determined whether he had a heart attack. Two things he anguished over were his angiogram and the fact that the majority of his nurses were 'new'. I have never forgotten his recounting of his angiogram test. He recounted multiple attempts of blood draws and IV starts. Complaints of pain, he said, were met with indifference from his nurses. His descriptions of a painful, frightful, debilitating test and his entire hospital experience embedded into my being an abhorrent fear of ever having to have an angiogram and being assigned a nurse 'new' to the field.
My first conversation with Chris went something like this: Chris - 'Hi, I'm Chris, your day shift nurse, and I will be taking excellent care of you and if you need anything, please let me know. How are you feeling?' Me - 'Hi. I feel like it's time to run away.' Chris - 'Please don't do that, I've only been here 5 weeks and it would look bad if I lost a patient.' Me (with heart in throat) - 'You have only been here 5 weeks or a NURSE 5 weeks?' Chris - 'I've only been a nurse for 5 weeks.' Me - 'Don't tell me that, one of my worst fears is getting the new guy!'
Over the next couple of days, Chris quickly proved that although 'new' he was a first rate (and first class) nurse. Calm, knowledgeable, caring and professional, Chris exuded confidence in patient care. With steady hands and never any hesitation, I immediately felt safe in his care. I tested him in every interaction daily and he never, not once, failed to reassure me and cause me to believe I wouldn't get out of Salem Hospital in one piece.
Upon learning I needed an angiogram, I went into panic mode. I was alone and distraught, with visions of the nightmare that would soon overtake me, memories of dad's descriptions of torture plaguing me. In walked Chris. He took one look at me, grabbed the nearest chair and immediately held my hands.
Patient care has changed in hospitals, gone are nightly back rubs, Candy stripers with magazines and little bottles of free Hibiclens. The laying on of healing hands has been replaced with endless electronic charting, the patient responding to charting questions, with no real delving into how a patient is doing. Into this atmosphere, Salem Hospital hired an angel, Chris Wiseman RN. A new guy, of all improbable employees, who that day talked me through one of the most horrific events to ever befall me. Chris never wavered in assuring me medicine had come a long way in 35 years, good and bad, but really good in the Cath Lab! His soothing, confident manner and certainly his knowledge of cardiac care got me off the mental ledge I teetered from.
I sailed through a totally pain free angiogram and walked out of Salem Hospital with a second chance regarding my heart! I might have refused the procedure without Chris promising me the angiogram was no longer a medieval torture. I cannot express enough gratitude, and certainly not enough thanks, for Chris' complete care of me during my stay on 4S. His clinical skills are top notch, he provides heart-felt compassionate care, demonstrates exemplary service and there is no doubt in my mind that Chris will continue to show his commitment to excellence. Salem Health is fortunate to have him on staff and his patients, myself specifically, will not soon forget his skill and heart. Thank you, Chris.