Kendall Chavis
September 2025
Kendall
Chavis
,
RN
Med/Surg
Prisma Health Hillcrest Hospital
Simpsonville
,
SC
United States
Kendall saw me as a person, not just as a body in the bed.
I came to the hospital through the ER for a bad gallbladder and an infection. For a while, I didn't know if I would be able to have the surgery until the following week, and I had to stay in the hospital due to the infection. I finally found out I was going to have surgery, and within 30 minutes, I was in the OR.
When I came back to my room post op, I met the amazing Kendall. Still emotional from my anxiety-filled day, she came to me with a soft voice and a kind heart. She was different from all the other nurses. She felt familial. She explained everything she had to give me medication-wise and how important it was to try to pee. She always made sure I had socks on (which she would put on me herself). When I went to the bathroom, I asked if she could stay because I was nervous, because I couldn't pee, and I didn't understand why. She educated me on how surgery can make your bladder sleepy, but it would wake up. And she was right. I never had to hit the call button because she checked on me so often. Even at 1:00 am, she went on a hunt for food and juice for me because I was hungry and my mouth was bone dry because of my medicine.
Right before bed, I asked if we could just talk for a little, and Kendall was happy to due so. She even got me to laugh that night after my stressful day. Kendall saw me as a person, not just as a body in the bed. She never dismissed me and always found the time to be kind. She is the definition of what a true nurse is. Nurses wear many hats: healthcare worker, snack hunter, therapist, friend, housekeeper, and so on. She made me feel safe, heard, and cared for.
***
Over the last two days, my nurse made a meaningful difference in my care by going above and beyond to ensure I felt seen, heard, and comforted—not just treated. On my first night, I was experiencing a lot of pain and anxiety, and she not only managed my pain promptly and efficiently, but also sat with me for a few extra moments to talk me through what was happening and what to expect next. Her calm, reassuring tone eased my fears more than any medication could. The next evening, she remembered the small details I had shared—like how I preferred sitting up during medication or that I liked ice water over room temp—and she made sure those little comforts were in place before I even had to ask. It made me feel truly cared for as a person, not just a patient. That kind of attention and compassion made a real difference in my healing process and reminded me of the power of empathy in medicine.
When I came back to my room post op, I met the amazing Kendall. Still emotional from my anxiety-filled day, she came to me with a soft voice and a kind heart. She was different from all the other nurses. She felt familial. She explained everything she had to give me medication-wise and how important it was to try to pee. She always made sure I had socks on (which she would put on me herself). When I went to the bathroom, I asked if she could stay because I was nervous, because I couldn't pee, and I didn't understand why. She educated me on how surgery can make your bladder sleepy, but it would wake up. And she was right. I never had to hit the call button because she checked on me so often. Even at 1:00 am, she went on a hunt for food and juice for me because I was hungry and my mouth was bone dry because of my medicine.
Right before bed, I asked if we could just talk for a little, and Kendall was happy to due so. She even got me to laugh that night after my stressful day. Kendall saw me as a person, not just as a body in the bed. She never dismissed me and always found the time to be kind. She is the definition of what a true nurse is. Nurses wear many hats: healthcare worker, snack hunter, therapist, friend, housekeeper, and so on. She made me feel safe, heard, and cared for.
***
Over the last two days, my nurse made a meaningful difference in my care by going above and beyond to ensure I felt seen, heard, and comforted—not just treated. On my first night, I was experiencing a lot of pain and anxiety, and she not only managed my pain promptly and efficiently, but also sat with me for a few extra moments to talk me through what was happening and what to expect next. Her calm, reassuring tone eased my fears more than any medication could. The next evening, she remembered the small details I had shared—like how I preferred sitting up during medication or that I liked ice water over room temp—and she made sure those little comforts were in place before I even had to ask. It made me feel truly cared for as a person, not just a patient. That kind of attention and compassion made a real difference in my healing process and reminded me of the power of empathy in medicine.