Patricia Bowker
May 2019
Patricia
Bowker
,
RN, BSN, CCRN
Medical Intensive Care Unit
Christiana Care Health System
Newark
,
DE
United States

 

 

 

I had to call 911 for my mother as I was getting ready to come in and work my MN shift at CCHS. My mom was not responding appropriately when I woke her and I knew something was wrong and that she needed medical attention. My mom was transferred to Middletown ED where the nurse called to inform me that she was going to be intubated and placed on a ventilator. My mom was diagnosed with Flu, Pneumonia, and she was also septic, once she was stabilized, she was able to be transferred to Christiana on 3E. I arrived the same time the ambulance was arriving and the moment I stepped onto the unit the staff was amazing, helpful and beyond words - caring. It was around 1 am the first nurse I saw was Pat, I remembered working with Pat before my nursing career started 20 years prior. I was so relieved when I saw that Pat was one of the nurses on shift because I knew by experience that my mom would be in the right hands. I remember Pat as a Neuro ICU nurse and I would be amazed how much knowledge she had when I was a unit clerk. During my mom's first 12 hours the staff kept me informed and allowed me to stay at the bedside. Pat asked me several times if I needed anything or a blanket if I needed a break or a drink. Pat was not my mom's primary nurse but you would not be able to tell the difference. She even sat next to me and listened to my concerns. Never making me feel rushed or like she had more important things to tend to. During the busier part of the shift around 0600, Pat was in my mom's room tidying up and taking the trash out, fixing my mom's IV tubing and IV medications. Asking another nurse to help her reposition my mom while my mom's primary nurse was busy next door. This is why Pat Bowker is still an excellent bedside nurse. Thank you for everything that you do and you make it look so simple. The patients, families, staff, and organization are so lucky to have you at the bedside and your skills and knowledge are amazing. Your clinical skills, compassion for the profession and respect towards others are top notch. Even during the shift change, she offered to stay over to help a novice nurse review some CPGs to help with her skill set. I cannot say enough about this amazing nurse. I only stayed one night with my mom while she was in the MICU but I was totally comfortable knowing that she was in safe hands. My children thank you for everything that you did to get their Meme one step closer to getting her back home with them.