Jes Eastwood
October 2019
Jessica
Eastwood
,
BSN, RN-BC
Med-Surg Float
Sparrow Hospital
Lansing
,
MI
United States

 

 

 

For years I have known that Jessica Eastwood is a DAISY Nurse but haven't taken the time to stop and write her nomination. Today I had the opportunity to see her in action (again) and realized this was the time.
When I first met Jessica she told me she wasn't long for the oncology world because she was meant for mother-baby. 10 years later, Jessica finally realized her heart needed a break and she moved on from oncology to the float team. Although she's not here all the time, Jessica is a 5W Oncology nurse wherever she practices. Today, I saw first-hand how much she gives to her patients.
Jessica was assigned a woman in her very early fifties awaiting results of a liver biopsy. The patient and her family knew the diagnosis was likely cancer and were ready to face the challenge. After her first assessment, Jes realized this patient needed a private room. Jes shared with me, "She has way too much going on so I told her she's getting a private room. She told me she knows she'll lose her hair (and other things she was thinking about). This is why I needed a break from these patients (oncology). How can you not sit down and just be a part of what she needs?" Tears pooled in Jes's eyes. Jes is probably the most compassionate person I have ever had the privilege of working with. She internalizes the struggle the patient is encountering, showering them with empathy and compassion.
During the morning, Jes noticed that the patient couldn't lift her arm. She paged the doctor, facilitated an order for a CT scan, and called the doctor immediately with the devastating results: the patient has a brain bleed, likely metastatic disease. The doctor placed multiple orders to respond to the diagnosis but did not mention that he planned to tell the patient the result. Jes advocated for him to tell the patient as it is not within her scope of practice, nor was it the right thing to do not to tell the patient immediately. The doctor offered to talk to the patient on the phone, but again Jes advocated for in-person communication. Eventually, the physician did come to the bedside.
During shift change, Jes stopped in my office to ask that I personally round on the patient to make certain she is continuing to receive excellent care tonight. Jes began crying, "I know God put me here" with this patient this week. The patient and her husband recognized Jessica, "She's a sweet, sweet, sweetheart". Every patient that Jessica cares for is in the hands of an angel on earth. She is extremely strong clinically, there is no doubt about her clinical strength, it's her empathy that makes her a DAISY Nurse.