I was injured in a rock climbing accident that broke my back and pelvis, as well as crushed my heel. I was admitted after a long afternoon in the ER, and I was nervous about how the night would go. I got settled in, and at shift change, my admitting nurse brought Hunter in to meet me. She immediately made me feel calmer. She knew I was a nurse, but did not assume that I just knew things (which is good because I don’t do bones, and my mind would not focus). She patiently educated my family and me, answering all of our questions.

I could not pee and knew I needed a straight catheter because I was so uncomfortable, but I was so scared to have one put in. She reassured me and got the catheter in relatively painlessly (with some pristine sterile skills). I immediately felt better. After that, she did everything from taking the ticking clock out of my room to heating up rice bags for my mom and helping me stay comfortable. She even got my husband snacks. Hunter made me smile during one of the scariest times of my life and helped remind me that healing would come.

My first night there, I slept an hour and twenty minutes despite all she did to help me fall asleep. The second night, I was exhausted. Hunter went out of her way and clustered cares (including doing some of what the PCT would normally do) so that I would only have to be woken up one time that night, which she then clustered with all the 2 am checks I had to have done. I finally slept for almost seven hours that night. She did more than just pass me pain meds that week; her personality and joy made my time in the hospital better, and I so appreciate the compassion and experience that she blessed me with.

She cared for me completely, which included my bones, pain, bladder, mental health, my family, and the education I received. She made me feel like I could actually recover and life would go on, no matter how hard it is right now. Every patient deserves a Hunter, and I will forever aspire to be a nurse like her.