Recently, I took care of an elderly woman who had recently moved to North Carolina from New York in the past year. She had moved here a couple of years prior, and in her old age, she wanted to be closer to family.
From Homesick to Feeling at Home
I asked my patient how she liked North Carolina, and she told me she was really homesick in the beginning and did not like it at first. However, she admitted that it had recently grown on her.
Without even having to ask her, she shared with me that it was her experience(s) at WakeMed that truly changed her mind about North Carolina. She went on to tell me that she had a lot of experience being a patient in her older life due to chronic conditions.
Kindness & Compassion Go a Long Way
Since moving to North Carolina, my patient had to be admitted to the hospital quite a few times, and it was the kindness and compassion she had been shown at WakeMed that made her want to stay in North Carolina.
I couldn’t believe it. I was shocked (in a good way)!
This experience reminded me of the positive impact that we (nurses) can have in our patients’ lives as healthcare providers.
We can truly make a difference if we try.
-Brittney DeVaney
About Brittney DeVaney, RN
Brittney DeVaney is a clinical nurse in 5A Med Intermediate Care at the WakeMed Raleigh Campus.
About the Take 5 Program at WakeMed
The Take 5 program was designed by a nursing unit council to demonstrate the impact that nurses/staff can have in improving patient satisfaction and experiences.
With the “Take 5” concept, WakeMed nurses set aside time on each shift (five minutes) to sit with their patients to talk about non-task-related topics. Nurses are then encouraged to write a brief narrative about one of their experiences to be submitted each month for review.
For additional information about the Take 5 program at WakeMed, send us an email. Interested in a nursing career at WakeMed? Learn more here.
