Patients' perspectives on nursing at Dana-Farber
The gratitude patients feel for the nurses who help guide them through the rigorous challenges of serious illness and treatment is often expressed in heartfelt letters they send to nursing administrators. Two of many received in recent months are anonymously excerpted here to convey the effect competent and compassionate care has on patients who feel fortunate to receive it.
"My wife has been a patient for about two years, a very stressful time in our lives, but we must say our experience with DFCI has been wonderful. I consult internationally in the area of customer satisfaction and business excellence, so I definitely know a great attitude when I see it. Of special note has been Colleen Ewerth, R.N., one of the special people who helped us in so many ways. She is genuinely kind and caring, which is so important when someone is battling cancer. She has been FANTASTIC! No bureaucracy, no excuses, just efficient action. Bottom Line: We love working with Colleen. Congratulations on hiring and developing people like her."
"When I had a sudden allergic reaction yesterday to the chemotherapy I was receiving, I think I was more stunned by the immediate and overwhelming response from the staff than I was by the assault of the reaction. I was having trouble breathing, and began turning red, but within no more than 10 seconds, I was surrounded by eight nurses. The emergency was over within a few minutes, which underlines the wonderful competence, loving care and concern, along with the complete professionalism of the staff at Dana-Farber. An emergency situation is dramatic, but it is in the gentle, helpful, friendly, cheerful, compassionate care of everyday routine that the ground is laid for dealing with a crisis."
