Nurse helps cancer patient overcome anger
A soft answer turns away wrath. In this case, it also starts the healing process.
A new cancer patient came to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, Washington. She was there to have a chest port put in for chemotherapy.
But the patient was terrified about the experience, said a member of the care team.
She kept saying “she hated doctors and hated the hospital,” and wanted to leave without the treatment. Still, the patient knew she needed to have the surgery done, despite her fears.
That’s when Jackie Laes, RN, arrived. With kindness and compassion, the nurse began gently helping the patient get more comfortable.
“Every step of the way, Jackie answered the patient’s questions and explained what would be happening next,” her co-worker said.
For those who watched Jackie with the patient, it was a powerful reminder of how “grace and compassion can change the experience for patients.”
