This encounter made such an impact on this family

I recently had a MICU patient undergoing chemotherapy for cancer and had an unexpected, emergent bowel surgery that him/her with a colostomy. This was an unsettling experience for both the patient and their spouse - and the idea of living with a colostomy on top of everything else he/she was dealing with left him/her feeling overwhelmed and upset. Then the couple met Chelsea Slaughter, a stomal therapy nurse. Chelsea shared personal experiences with the patient that made him/her feel comfortable learning how to live with the colostomy. Chelsea inspired the patient, giving them hope for a normal life with a colostomy and empowered them to take charge of the care of it also. That one encounter changed her perspective and gave both the patient and spouse the emotional boost they needed to persevere through a very difficult time. Chelsea could have easily performed patient education and left the patient to live with the emotions and stress he/she was dealing with alone. Instead, Chelsea took the time to connect with a patient, meet him/her in their darkness and help guide him/her to a healthier mind, body and spirit. This encounter made such an impact on this family they were still talking about it days later. Thanks for making a difference in this patient's care!