Jessica Hernandez-Olguin
February 2022
Jessica
Olguin
,
RN
Medical surgical
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
Ridgecrest
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Jessica set up FaceTime and stood by her patient while holding her hand and listening closely to the patient’s whisper so she could tell the daughter what the patient was saying.
We had a deeply beloved patient who was transitioning to end-of-life care. This patient had a husband and daughter who were fighting. The patient’s husband was attempting to block the daughter, who was very involved in her mother’s care and had been FaceTiming the patient every day, from being able to communicate with and see her dying mother one last time. Jessica being deeply empathetic and resourceful, went out of her way to involve the medical social worker on-site in this case. Jessica clearly relayed the patient’s special relationship with her only daughter to the social worker. Jessica advocated for both the patient and her loved one by collaborating with additional staff who were able to mediate a peaceful and beautiful moment for the patient during her last moments. I witnessed Jessica work a time-management miracle by front-loading the care of her other patients so she could “just focus on” her patient in the dying process. Jessica set up FaceTime and stood by her patient while holding her hand and listening closely to the patient’s whisper so she could tell the daughter what the patient was saying. I get to see nurses all over the hospital and rarely see this truly empathic and authentic commitment to not only patient physical care but their social/emotional wellbeing as well. Jessica is a shining example of nursing at its absolute best. I cannot think of anyone more worthy than her of this award at this time.