I wanted to share with you my recent experience with your team members in the Cardiovascular ICU. My grandfather had bilateral pulmonary embolisms in the operating room during what we had anticipated being a routine orthopedic surgery. My mother is a nurse of close to 30 years and I am a paramedic also in nursing school. The physician, of course, explained this was a risk as with any surgery, but we all expected it to go just as planned. That was not the case at all.
I received a call that my grandfather, whom I call "Papa" went into cardiac arrest in the operating room as the physician was closing and I needed to come to the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, I went to Papa's room to be with him and my grandmother; he had just gotten to the unit within a few minutes of my arrival. Having worked on the Lift Team, being a paramedic and a student nurse, I recognized many things/equipment in the room; my grandmother, on the other hand, did not. He was intubated, had an A-line, and was about to be cannulated for ECMO. This was a complete 360 from what we expected, especially for my grandmother. From the moment we arrived on the floor, the care provided by the nursing team as well as the whole CVICU was beyond exceptional.
Vidant Medical Center strives to provide patient-family centered care. Two nurses of the team continue to stand out to our family and we would like to recognize the superb care provided that made such a difficult experience the best that it could possibly be. They continued to provide great care for Papa while also providing emotional support for every member of our family and particularly ensured that my grandmother understood everything that was going on and included her in every aspect of his care.
Candice Pearson was the primary nurse on the day that Papa was admitted to the CVICU and placed on ECMO. Although patient care was her primary concern, she always made the time to talk with my grandmother and the rest of my family. She would talk with my mother and me, and like all healthcare professionals on the opposite side of healthcare, we had a lot of questions. Most importantly, after our conversation with her, she would always follow up with my grandmother and explain things to her in a way that someone with no medical knowledge at all could understand. Candice was his nurse for 3 shifts and consistently provided this great care to our family. Candice truly shows her passion for nursing through the exceptional patient-family centered care that she provides for her patients. Although patient-family centered care is a common goal for all healthcare professionals, Candice takes this to another level in the care she provides to her patients and their families, going above and beyond to make difficult situations such as ours the best that it can be.
Papa's heart was strong and was able to wean off ECMO. The next few days would still be critical for the rest of his body. These were days that he would be slowly weaned from the ventilator and extubated. We knew that Papa's body had been through a lot and that weaning from the vent may be a challenge. The first extubation failed and he had to be intubated again. Then it was time for the discussion of possibly going to a trach if extubation were to fail again. We discussed with the physicians what our options were. Papa needed a few more days to build up the strength in his lungs.
Erin Pearson was the primary day nurse that had my grandfather for the few days following. Erin was there to provide exceptional support for the family during these days. After any time the physician would come to the room with any news, good or bad, or just to check in, Erin would always check with the family to see if we needed anything. She would also make sure everyone was on the same page, always advocating good communication between all disciplines of the team. I specifically remember her checking with us individually after having difficult conversations with the physicians, when such topics as end of life were discussed. On the day he was to be extubated, I was in clinical on another floor. I wanted to be there in case something should happen. Erin made sure that I knew not to worry, that she would call me when she knew their plan. Nursing school is stressful and demanding, and taking care of patients is a challenge when you have personal stressors on your mind, but I was able to continue my day in clinical and care for my patients with ease knowing that my grandfather was in great hands and that Erin was going to carry out my wishes. As I requested, Erin called my unit prior to extubation and I was able to go hear my granddad say, "I love you," the first words out of his mouth when he was extubated. This one of the many great examples of the exceptional patient-family centered care that was provided by Erin and the team on the unit during my grandfather's admission. Erin's passion for nursing truly shows through the care that she provides to her patients and their families.
The entire team on CVICU are some of the best of the best. From the EVS team to the physicians, even parking services paid a visit as my grandmother had an extended stay. Everyone was friendly and provided a great hospital experience given the circumstances.
Being a healthcare provider on the other side of the bedside is not easy. My mother and I both have a passion for healthcare and with that passion, we have high standards and high expectations. The team on CVICU met and exceeded our expectations providing care, not only to my grandfather but also to my entire family. Vidant Medical Center and the CVICU should be proud to have these nurses as a part of their team. The team of nurses on this floor make me more than proud to be joining a profession that has such a passion for what we do.
Papa was discharged and spent some time at Lifecare and is now in a rehab facility close to home. He is doing well for what he has been through, in good spirits, and getting better every day. We cannot express enough our thanks and satisfaction to the team of CVICU at Vidant Medical Center.