Cllinical Narrative

There simply is no pill that can replace human connection. There is no pharmacy that can fill the need for
compassionate interaction with others. The answer to human suffering is both within us and between us.

-Dr. Joanne Cacciatore

In the year 2000 shortly after graduating high school, I took a job as a home health CNA while beginning
prerequisites for nursing school. I worked 8 to 12 hour shifts in patient’s homes. I would assisted with ADL’s, clean
there homes, and cook. On most days these tasks only filled a small potion of the day the rest of the day was full of
awkward silence. I had patients that were young and old who had a wide range of life experiences. As a shy
eighteen year old girl with no life experience I didn’t know what to say or do when in these silent moments. It was
uncomfortable. One day I sat terrified in silence across the table from an elderly German woman, who had spent
most of our first day together yelling and critiquing my every move I could not wait to leave. When our time together
was over I prepared to leave, she said please come back. Not know what to say, I agreed. A few days later the
home health agency asked me to return because she had requested me. I could have said no, but I choose to go.
The next day I arrived at her house, after complete my duties we sat back at the table. However, this time she
started talking. She told me about her life, her struggles, her daughter, and she showed me all the awards she had
own from breeding and showing dogs. She even smiled a few times. I went back many times after that. The
discomfort of being with strangers started to fade, I started to realize everyone has a story. When someone is angry,
hostile, or withdrawn it not a personal attack. Sometimes the silence moments are just as important as long
conversations for healing the spirit.

In 2002 I graduate from Front Range Community College with my Associates in Applied Science in Nursing. I worked
in a few different area of nursing until 2005 when I began working in the Emergency Department at the University of
Missouri. Once again I was out of my comfort zone; I had no critical care experience. The learning curve was steep.
After a year in Missouri I missed Colorado and return home. Still a novice emergency room nurse I took a job a Saint
Anthony’s Central and really started gaining clinical competency. I also became increasingly passionate about
working with vulnerable populations. Many of the patients I cared for were indigent, non English speaking, battling
addiction, or had mental health disorders. I noticed that many of my co workers although clinical strong had a hard
time connecting with these patients. I made it my personal goal try and see situation through the lens of the patient
and whenever a moment arouse in the hustle of the emergency department to steal a moment to hold someone’s
hand or hear their story.

In 2011 Saint Anthony’s Central closed its doors and reopened in suburbs Lakewood. By this time I felt comfortable
in my skin and was proud to call myself an emergency room nurse. I also want to working with vulnerable patient
populations, in 2011 started working in the Emergency Department at UCHealth. I quickly realized that Emergency
Department at UCHealth has a highly diverse patient population and some of whom have extremely complex disease
process, and I was up for the challenge. There are two factors at UCHealth that have most impact my current
nursing practice. The first is that it is a teaching institution. I take every opportunity to join in on conversation that
attending’s have with resident or medical students. They are always welcoming and encourage me to ask questions.
The organizations focus on evidence based practice is clear demonstrated by the continual process improvement to
ensure patients are receiving optimal care. This educational and quality focused environment challenges stay in tune
with changes in medical and nurse practice instead of falling in the trap of “this is how we have always do things.”
The New Graduate Nursing Program provides new nurses supports new nurses as they develop their professional
nursing. Being a preceptor to new graduate nurses has keep me on my toes. I enjoy their questions and we often
learn answer to clinical question together. I enjoy the relationship that is built after working side by side with them
over the course of three to six months. The most important thing new graduate nurses have made me realize was
that I needed to get my BSN. I noticed that they would read journal articles and had a preparation the I did not
receive when I got my ADN. I was relying others to deliver know to me by asking questions as issue came up and
listening to conversations on the unit, instead of actively finding it myself. I received by BSN from Metropolitan States
University in December of 2018 which after sixteen years of nursing fills with immense pride.

Today I am clinical sound emergency nurses; I have gained a reputation for remaining calm and building a rapport
with ever the most challenging patients. I often see patients in a different light them most and this ability has proven
to be a useful skill. On day a patient was brought in by ambulance in four point restraints he was agitated, altered,
and only spoke Somali. The emergency medical service crew had given him Haldol and the emergency department
team caring for him keeps him in restrained believing that this was a mental health problem. He was placed on a
security watch and giving more sedation. I enter the room to help the primary nurse and realize that the patient was
very sick. He was tachycardic and tachypenic. I went to have a discussion with the physician who assure me that
this was related to and ingestion or mental health. I over the course of the last seven years I demonstrated my
clinical knowledge and have built rapport with my the multidisciplinary team so I was able to successfully challenge
concept. The patient was intubated stabilized and went to the intensive care unit.

The ability to connect with patients and co workers will always be the foundation of my nursing practice. Having an
understanding that there is no limits to the complexity of human conditions allows me to have meaningful and
empathic interactions with patients and team members. I have never questioned my career choice. When I tell the
story of my life, being the serve of people always takes center stage. I begin each day with an open mined and a
readiness to learn about whatever new things are put in front of me. Then I end each day with gratitude for the
opportunity to be of use to others.