Jenny is a very special person with the ultimate heart of gold. She exemplifies what a nurse should be, what TMC stands for and what every patient would ever want/need from a caregiver. She is a role model who consistently goes above and beyond to raise the bar in patient care excellence. Her compassion and kindness towards patients and families are always evident in the hope and the joy that she gives those she cares for.
Several months ago, she cared for a young mother of 5 children, ages ten, nine, seven, three, and one week old. She had been bedridden for six weeks prior to giving birth to her youngest child, delivered her baby here at TMC, discharged and unfortunately readmitted with a saddle PE. The mom was devastated; it was Christmas time and she had been in and out of the hospital for the last six weeks. There was going to be no Christmas at all for her family as they had no Christmas tree or presents due to her complicated journey. When the husband came with the children to visit, Jenny immediately noticed their level of distress and wanted so badly to help them. She asked them if they were hungry as they seemed unsettled as young children do. The children all quickly replied with a bold, "Yes, we are so hungry!" Jenny went to the cafeteria and bought a vast variety of food and drink for the children and husband. Upon her return they embraced her, hugging her tightly, crying and thanking her through tears. The children began calling her "Ms. Jenny." They were grateful beyond words, visibly moved by her gesture of love. Her motivation did not stop there, she returned Christmas Eve bearing gifts for the parents so that they might have something to gift to their children, an absolute selfless display of love and generosity. As you can imagine, as she entered with gifts, the parents were overcome with tears of joy. As they took Jenny into their arms, they struggled to find the words to express their gratitude. They could not believe she had done this for them on her own account. She shared how this had been such a stressful time and being in and out of the hospital had really burdened them financially. The love she resonated through this kind gesture is not a one-time occurrence, this is an example of the multitude of caring, compassionate acts of love that she provides on a daily basis.
On a separate occasion, Jenny took care of a patient who emergently required open heart surgery. This family was from out of town and had no place to stay. The husband stayed at the hospital in the waiting room and never left her side. Jenny had this patient for several days in a row. The patient and husband often praised her kind and compassionate care stating, "She is the best nurse ever." When she noticed the husband had no place to stay or any food, she made sure on a daily basis that his nutritional needs were met as well. She collaborated with the unit CNL to provide him with food vouchers that encouraged him to walk off the unit and take care of himself. The patient and husband often cried as they expressed their gratitude, they were impressed that someone cared so much to make sure they were both taken care of during their stay, not just medically but emotionally, mentally, and physically. The husband wrote a 'Heart of Gold' for her and gave it to me to make sure she was acknowledged and thanked. His note stated, "Only God knows how we feel as I cannot put into words the love, compassion, and understanding Jenny has shown us."