Felicia Yanez
May 2023
Felicia
Yanez
,
RN, BSN
Emergency Department
Integris Health Edmond
Edmond
,
OK
United States
Felicia was my hero that night. She stood in the gap between my broken heart and all the unknowns and made sure that I was not alone.
Last week my family went through one of the most heartbreaking situations a family could endure – my 12-year-old daughter made an attempt to end her life. I was hysterical. I did not have the first idea what to do. I was told to take her to IHE to the ED. I know what the expectation is for an ED wait, knew how mental health crises are handled and I was a wreck. We arrived on Wednesday and were immediately taken back. Suicidal ideation precautions were put into place and within four hours we had MHAT on the iPad assessing her. It was determined that she would require inpatient treatment and the search for a bed began. I knew this could take several hours, or even days. I was emotionally spent and confused. I was heartbroken. I was terrified. The ED staff were the most remarkable people I have ever encountered. They checked on us. The room was bare bones because it was an SI room, but they offered my little girl snacks, waved at her every time they passed, made faces at her, and made her laugh. She was terrified and the security guard got her a stuffed animal and brought it to her. It provided immediate comfort to her.
As the night progressed a young nurse named Felicia Yanez took over our care. She would check on us frequently, always introduced herself, set expectations about waits and bed placement, and narrated all steps involved in the care that they were providing – all the things we ask our nurses to do she did, however, she went above that. She didn’t know I was an INTEGRIS Health employee. She didn’t know me from anyone. She saw a mom who felt like the world was collapsing under her. She sat with me in between patients. She counseled me and uplifted my heart. She asked if she could hug me. She did so much more than just empathize with our situation. When we were finally accepted at Spencer, she gave us wait times for transport and as my daughter finally slept, she again sat with me and provided comfort to my aching mother’s heart.
I wanted to share my story because our caregivers are phenomenal. I know the ER can have many grievances, it can be wearing, as I am sure you also understand. I start to question our purpose and why we got into the business of helping and caring for people when it is consistently judged, critiqued, stomped on, and when we don’t always do the right things. In this moment – a moment of anguish and true suffering, your staff held me together. They loved me when I could not bear to feel anything more than the torment of my heart. They picked up my pieces and offered me hope. I have never been so impacted in all my life. I do not know how I would have gotten through that night, sitting alone in a hospital room with my child, trying to make sense of how we got here and what we would do next. I didn’t have to think. They did it all for me. They took action to care for us. They did more than provide care for my little girl. They made her feel safe. They did not make her feel judged or embarrassed.
If I could name every single person who helped us I would do so gladly. Felicia was my hero that night. She stood in the gap between my broken heart and all the unknowns and made sure that I was not alone. I know my story is sensitive and I do not share it to make anyone uncomfortable, but I want to recognize true greatness and ensure you know that you are doing the right things at the right time. We don’t always express it at the moment, but our caregivers impact our patients in a dramatic and poignant way – and on that horrible night, I just happened to be accompanying my most important patient – my child. You may share as much or as little of this as you feel is appropriate, but I do ask that you recognize Felicia for being the very epitome of what a nurse represents, and she took the mission, vision, and values of our organization to a whole new level.
On a brief side note – my daughter is still at Spencer and continues to receive remarkable care. When I finally got to see her on Saturday, her face was a little brighter, her step a little lighter and she has completely embraced her therapy. We are on the road to recovery.
Thank you for listening to my story. Your team of caregivers catered to my very soul last week. I wish I had more than words to offer because they deserve so much more than my simple, but heartfelt thank you.
As the night progressed a young nurse named Felicia Yanez took over our care. She would check on us frequently, always introduced herself, set expectations about waits and bed placement, and narrated all steps involved in the care that they were providing – all the things we ask our nurses to do she did, however, she went above that. She didn’t know I was an INTEGRIS Health employee. She didn’t know me from anyone. She saw a mom who felt like the world was collapsing under her. She sat with me in between patients. She counseled me and uplifted my heart. She asked if she could hug me. She did so much more than just empathize with our situation. When we were finally accepted at Spencer, she gave us wait times for transport and as my daughter finally slept, she again sat with me and provided comfort to my aching mother’s heart.
I wanted to share my story because our caregivers are phenomenal. I know the ER can have many grievances, it can be wearing, as I am sure you also understand. I start to question our purpose and why we got into the business of helping and caring for people when it is consistently judged, critiqued, stomped on, and when we don’t always do the right things. In this moment – a moment of anguish and true suffering, your staff held me together. They loved me when I could not bear to feel anything more than the torment of my heart. They picked up my pieces and offered me hope. I have never been so impacted in all my life. I do not know how I would have gotten through that night, sitting alone in a hospital room with my child, trying to make sense of how we got here and what we would do next. I didn’t have to think. They did it all for me. They took action to care for us. They did more than provide care for my little girl. They made her feel safe. They did not make her feel judged or embarrassed.
If I could name every single person who helped us I would do so gladly. Felicia was my hero that night. She stood in the gap between my broken heart and all the unknowns and made sure that I was not alone. I know my story is sensitive and I do not share it to make anyone uncomfortable, but I want to recognize true greatness and ensure you know that you are doing the right things at the right time. We don’t always express it at the moment, but our caregivers impact our patients in a dramatic and poignant way – and on that horrible night, I just happened to be accompanying my most important patient – my child. You may share as much or as little of this as you feel is appropriate, but I do ask that you recognize Felicia for being the very epitome of what a nurse represents, and she took the mission, vision, and values of our organization to a whole new level.
On a brief side note – my daughter is still at Spencer and continues to receive remarkable care. When I finally got to see her on Saturday, her face was a little brighter, her step a little lighter and she has completely embraced her therapy. We are on the road to recovery.
Thank you for listening to my story. Your team of caregivers catered to my very soul last week. I wish I had more than words to offer because they deserve so much more than my simple, but heartfelt thank you.