My mom was transferred from Jane Phillips in Bartlesville to St. John’s in Tulsa. She ended up having a 23-day hospitalization before finally being transferred to rehab.

My mother was a difficult patient at times. She was in an isolation room for COVID and CDIFF. Consequently, she suffered from bouts of hospital-induced delirium. Elizabeth was a new nurse and was in training with another nurse, but her caring and kindness were evident immediately. I could also tell she took immense pride in her job and wanted to make sure she did everything correctly.

She was shadowing another nurse, but Elizabeth had a way of calming my mother and making her feel cared for. One particular night stands out. We were under a tornado warning, and my mother’s bed was turned away from the window as a safety precaution. At the same time, we learned my mom’s blood gases were way off, and she needed BiPAP treatment to reduce her CO2.

My mom was very afraid and wouldn’t tolerate the BiPAP. I was so afraid we would lose my mom since she wouldn’t wear the BiPAP mask. Elizabeth came in after her shift and tried to calm my mother. I could tell by Elizabeth’s eyes that my mother’s condition was serious. She lightened the mood by showing my mom pictures of her girls, ages three and five.

My mother calmed down enough after that to wear the BiPAP for 40 minutes. This may have been enough to get my mom’s blood gases going in the right direction. Her CO2 was down to 69 by morning. Elizabeth promised to see my mom on her next shift, two sleeps away.

The next day, my mom was moved to the 12th floor progressive care. The following day, Elizabeth came to see my mom on her lunch break. Again, she shared pictures of her girls. I was impressed by the love and caring. Elizabeth told me she thought about my mom on her day off and wanted to be sure she was okay.

Elizabeth is a wonderful nurse and an asset to this hospital that I am grateful for.