Jasmine Austin, BSN, RN

I was a patient on the Orthopedics unit following an extensive spinal surgery. Jasmine Austin went above and beyond to make me feel seen, heard, and genuinely cared for. As a nurse myself, being on the receiving end of care can be incredibly challenging and vulnerable. Throughout my stay, I struggled with severe postoperative pain. Jasmine ensured my pain was managed using a multimodal approach and never made me feel like my concerns were a burden.

One thing that has always stayed with me is how she recognized that heat helped relieve my pain. No one had offered me a heating pad until Jasmine came on shift. When one wasn’t brought to my room, she went out of her way to track one down for me. The following day, when she was my nurse again, she remembered and made sure I actually received it. It may seem like a small gesture, but in that moment it made a tremendous difference and reminded me that someone was truly listening. Even while caring for multiple patients, Jasmine remained attentive, compassionate, and present. During one of the hardest seasons of my life, she made an overwhelming experience feel a little less frightening. She embodies everything a nurse should be—kind, compassionate, and an advocate for her patients. The impact she had on my recovery is something I will never forget, and I will always be grateful for the exceptional care she provided.

Throughout my stay, she consistently advocated for multimodal pain management, checked on me frequently, and never dismissed my concerns. Even though she was caring for multiple patients, she always made me feel like I mattered. During one of the hardest times in my life, Jasmine gave me comfort, reassurance, and hope. Her compassion reminded me of the kind of nurse I strive to be, and I will never forget the impact she had on my recovery.

My fusion was quite extensive. I was on oral medications and a pain pump and still suffering to get comfortable. When Jasmine was assessing me, she noticed my pain was still quite high. She noted that heat helped relieve my pain prior to surgery and offered to track down a heat water therapy pad. She contacted the people who have them to get one for me right before she left for the night. The next day, when she got on shift, she immediately ensured I got the heating pad, and when she saw I didn’t, she was very persistent until they brought one to my room. She went out of her way to ensure I got it even when she was busy with several other patients and tasks that were likely much more important than a heating pad. The heating pad made so much of a difference, and I finally was able to get more relief from the tremendous pain.