Jacqueline Robertson
December 2018
Jacqueline
Robertson
,
BSN, RN, CMSRN
Clinical Resource Unit
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center
Chicago
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Jacqueline Robertson treats her patients with the utmost gentleness and respect every time she comes to work, but today I witnessed true compassion and patient advocacy on Jacqueline's part.
Jacqueline was taking care of an elderly patient with extensive sacral wounds and sepsis. While rounding on the patient, I had the chance to speak with their daughter. The daughter had so many wonderful things to say about the care that Jacqueline provided for them. This daughter is an LPN and has a good understanding of the medical world, but you could tell she was very overwhelmed with all the important medical decisions she had to make for her mother. The patient was supposed to have an extensive surgery in the afternoon, but that morning the daughter changed her mind. She decided she needed a bit more time to think about what was best for her mother, and what the goals of care should be.
The daughter credited Jacqueline for all the education Jacqueline had done with her about the two procedures the surgeons wanted the patient to have. The patient's daughter told me about all the education Jacqueline had done with them, calmly and gently explaining possible risks and benefits of these two large procedures and what her mother's care would look like when the surgeries were over. The patient's daughter said that the doctor had explained things to her, but she didn't really understand until Jacqueline took the time to go over everything again. Jacqueline then relayed the change in the daughter's wishes to the surgical team and the internal medicine team, who were kind and understanding about the patient's daughter's choice.
The patient's daughter came out of the room to hug Jacqueline and personally thank her for the extensive education she had done for her. When I spoke with the patient's daughter afterward, she was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she was tearful, saying she didn't know what she would have done today if it hadn't been for Jacqueline. The daughter said, "You know some people judge a hospital based on the décor or the food, but I know that a hospital is only as good as its nurses and CNAs, and I know my mom is receiving amazing care here."