My father was on day 5 of his hospital stay after receiving a terminal diagnosis on day 2, then suffering a stroke and undergoing a surgical procedure on day 4. Veena arrived that morning to administer his daily medications and explained the day’s planned tasks, which included draining fluid from his body via catheter. At the first mention of this procedure, my father became visibly and emotionally upset and proceeded to yell at Veena that he was not going to go through with it.

Veena could have simply stayed where she was, documented my father’s refusal, and walked away. Instead, she came over, sat beside him, placed her hand on his shoulder, and leaned in to comfort him as she tried to understand why he did not want the procedure done. Her bedside manner and compassionate approach calmed my father and made him feel that his voice was valued and heard. I truly appreciate Veena’s patience and efforts, knowing how challenging it can be to work with patients in such circumstances.

Her presence not only put my father at ease but also reassured me, as a family member, that he was in good hands under her care when we could not be at the hospital. She was attentive, empathetic, caring, and informative throughout his care. It’s clear that Veena cares for her patients far beyond the scope of simply earning a paycheck. I’m grateful we had Veena as my father’s nurse on day 5 and again on the day of his discharge. She truly made a difference during a very difficult time following his devastating health news