Sarah McCartney
February 2015
Sarah
Mccartney
,
RN, BSN
CCU
HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center
Phoenix
,
AZ
United States

 

 

 

We had the honor of having Sarah as my mom's nurse for 3 days. My mom began having more trouble breathing and became confused after she was admitted. After some testing, she was rushed off for a CT scan and transferred to CCU. My dad and I had to rapidly pack our belongings and were sent to the CCU waiting room. We were terrified by the experience we'd just had. This wonderful nurse walked out to greet us and escort us to my mom's new room. Sarah was friendly and calming, and I instantly felt reassured by her demeanor. Throughout the afternoon she was attentive and informative and I knew my mom was in good hands.
On the second day, my mom began to have another episode and was becoming increasingly lethargic and confused. I didn't realize exactly what was happening, but I knew something wasn't right and I was scared. I went to the waiting room for a few minutes and returned obviously shaken and still crying. Sarah stopped me in the hall to ask what was wrong and gave me a hug. She listened to me, and having just checked on my mom, agreed that something was not right. Typically the patients are our loved ones and we know them best and know when something isn't right. Sarah is a nurse who understands and respects this. She not only provided patient-centered care for my mom but collaborated with the doctors and even other nurses to make sure my mom got what she needed.