Sharon Kilbride
March 2014
Sharon
Kilbride
,
RN, BSN, OCN
Oncology
Advocate Condell Medical Center
Libertyville
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

The story that you are about to read is a glimpse of the everyday care this RN provides.. she cares wholeheartedly for all patients, their families and her team mates on the unit. This extraordinary nurse is Sharon Kilbride.

One patient writes, Sharon stayed after her shift to make sure I understood my "at home equipment" she would be off over the weekend and wanted to be sure I was knew what I was doing, how to care for myself...and she did this because she is a great nurse.

A team member writes, I have worked with Sharon for over 2 years and have learned so many life's lessons from her. I've seen her countless times not only holding a patient's hand, comforting their tired bodies, but Sharon also holds their heart as she explains treatments, calms their fears, laughs with them and cries for and with them.

This is more than a job for Sharon, it is her passion. When she knows a patient is coming in that she has cared for before, she makes sure she assigns herself to that patient, knowing that primary nursing is evidenced based to reassure and calm patients, she is able to provide customized care and most importantly, Sharon has built a relationship with the patient and their family.

One of our patients, who just recently passed and who we all adored, knew he was close to dying. After Sharon came out of his room, she looked at me and asked, "did he say goodbye to you? If not, go in and see him". Sharon knew we all needed that moment with him. While wiping away the tears from her face, Sharon proceeded to collect herself and entered her next room with a big, beautiful smile as if the patient was the first person she had seen all day.

Sharon is a professional, cares for her unit and team and most importantly, our patients. She looks out for what is best for all of us. There are other times when she would go the extra mile to ensure physical and emotional comfort whether she was decorating a patient's room to make it feel like home, discussing treatment plans with physicians, having a heart to heart with a patient's family member; one thing is certain, Sharon makes the patients her priority.

Sharon lives every day with kindness, compassion, collaboration and that is what a GREAT NURSE should be.