Josh Harrison
May 2018
Josh
Harrison
,
RN
Stroke Unit
McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence
,
SC
United States

 

 

 

My husband is 43 years old and was having some non-specific symptoms that we felt could be a pinched nerve. The symptoms progressively worsened so we made the trip to the ED. Turns out, he was having a stroke. We were shocked, scared and felt helpless. I work in the MICU as the CNM. The stroke patients that I care for are more critical, requiring mechanical intubation and generally do not have ideal outcomes. I did not know what to expect and was very worried for my husband although I maintained a poker face because I didn't want to upset him. As a nurse, I needed him to feel that everything would be ok.
My husband was admitted to the Stroke Unit late that evening and being that I work in a unit, I knew that I would have to wait until the nurse had him settled in before they would let me in the room. When I was allowed in, the first person I met was Josh Harrison, whom I thought was my husband's nurse. Josh was sitting in a chair with his MAK cart in front of him asking my husband questions for the admission assessment. He was very friendly, down to earth and very informative! I had a thousand questions running through my head because I honestly did not know what our next course of action would be. I never had the opportunity to ask any of those questions because Josh answered them for me. He made my husband and me feel safe, relaxed and a whole lot more educated on what to expect in the next few days. Josh proceeded to tell us that he was not our primary nurse but the night shift supervisor. Just knowing that he would be there all night was a wonderful feeling.
During our stay, Josh would come in every night and check on us. He would talk to us about what happened throughout the day and see how we were being treated by all. As the CNM in MICU, I knew he was doing Nurse Leader Rounds, but I could tell that it was from his heart. The most genuine servant's heart.
Josh was an angel in disguise for me and my husband those 4 days and 3 nights. I am so very thankful that he is a part of my McLeod family and it makes my heart happy to know that he is providing other patients and their families reassurance and a sense of safety and comfort.