Wen Wang
December 2013
Wen
Wang
,
RN
Post Anesthesia Care Unit - PACU
Maine Medical Center
Portland
,
ME
United States
Before I can comment on Wen, I need to give a little background information. My dad had been seen on numerous occasions at Maine Medical over the past few years. Dad always had excellent care. In fact the Cath Lab staff did the chicken dance for him one year and even got the nurse on R7 to do it for him, the staff remembered Dad each time he came in. So needless to say we were used to above standard care. Dad fell and broke his hip in July which resulted in a trip to MMC via the ER and a short stay on R6 while coming off coumadin to prepare for surgery. The surgeon told me that surgery went well and that dad would stay a day or two then be moved on to Rehab and that the nurse would be out soon to let me see him.
When I did get in to see dad it was obvious that things were not going as well as expected. Wen encouraged me to talk to dad to help him wake from the anesthesia, while she was busy adjusting medication and diligently monitoring everything; she found time to keep me calm and to joke with dad. Never once allowing dad to become concerned about what was going on around him. When I was brought in I was told it would be for 10 min. Yet Wen allowed me three-quarters of an hour bedside with dad. For that I am so very thankful as it was the last words he spoke with family.
Wen had the forethought to have me taken back to the waiting room before things turned down hill. Later I found out that Wen had stayed several hours past shift so that she could stay with dad till he left her unit. Needless to say dad passed away 24 hours after leaving PACU. Two weeks later I had to make a delivery to PACU and Wen came up and gave me a hug asked how I was and stood there and cried with me. I could feel that she truly had cared about my dad. Wen told me what a 'Character" my dad was and how he joked with them the whole time. Her kindness and compassion have helped me feel less guilty knowing that he was not alone and that he was cared by for someone who truly cared for her patient. She is an outstanding example of nursing. I still make deliveries to PACU and if I hear her voice it gives me positive thoughts of what happened that night.
When I did get in to see dad it was obvious that things were not going as well as expected. Wen encouraged me to talk to dad to help him wake from the anesthesia, while she was busy adjusting medication and diligently monitoring everything; she found time to keep me calm and to joke with dad. Never once allowing dad to become concerned about what was going on around him. When I was brought in I was told it would be for 10 min. Yet Wen allowed me three-quarters of an hour bedside with dad. For that I am so very thankful as it was the last words he spoke with family.
Wen had the forethought to have me taken back to the waiting room before things turned down hill. Later I found out that Wen had stayed several hours past shift so that she could stay with dad till he left her unit. Needless to say dad passed away 24 hours after leaving PACU. Two weeks later I had to make a delivery to PACU and Wen came up and gave me a hug asked how I was and stood there and cried with me. I could feel that she truly had cared about my dad. Wen told me what a 'Character" my dad was and how he joked with them the whole time. Her kindness and compassion have helped me feel less guilty knowing that he was not alone and that he was cared by for someone who truly cared for her patient. She is an outstanding example of nursing. I still make deliveries to PACU and if I hear her voice it gives me positive thoughts of what happened that night.