When Kaylee Kelly first introduced herself to her patient, he was able to communicate with her, although his oxygen requirements kept rising, and the patient was experiencing shortness of breath. The patient knew something was wrong and was definitely scared. Kaylee made an effort to calm the patient while also communicating with the nurse and doctors and helping complete nursing tasks.

As they were getting ready to take the patient to a CT scan, she could tell he was becoming increasingly anxious. She asked him what his favorite animal was, and he said, “An elephant.” Kaylee asked why he chose an elephant, and he explained: “It's an elephant because they protect their young, they make good mothers, they protect those they love and care about, they remember those who have died and never forget, they are strong, and they fight." Kaylee accompanied the patient to his CT scan. When they arrived back on the unit, he urgently needed to be intubated.

While watching and learning from the nurses, Kaylee comforted the patient. Right before the patient was sedated for intubation, Kaylee said, “Remember to think about elephants,” and the patient smiled. Kaylee found a way to bring comfort and joy to a patient during a scary time, all while learning new nursing skills in the ICU environment. It was an honor to be her clinical supervisor.