Dawn Ralston, SHH – Inspiring Anyone to Be a Nurse
I started out as a volunteer at Atrium Health Navicent when the hospital was named Medical Center of Central GA. I did volunteer work to get credit for high school because that was one of the requirements to graduate. I loved taking care of people taking them their food and helping take patients out to their car to go home. Whatever the staff would let me do I was willing to do. I loved it and wanted to learn more so I could take care of people. I went to college and got my CNA Certificate. I was never able to achieve the nursing program because the book work and test was so hard. Being good at doing clinicals in that program, I went on to work for Atrium Health Navicent as a CNA.
I went to work at Flexpool, that is a company inside of Atrium Health Navicent as a CNA for 3 yrs. I loved the time I was there because I was able to pick what floor I wanted to work for and when I wanted to work. Enjoyed taking vital signs, bringing the patients their meals, and taking care of their daily needs.
Then I transferred from there and went to STICU where I fell more in love with my job as a CNA even more. I loved being there for people at the worst time in their lives and support them through it. Then to see a patient transfer to a regular room and come back several months later to the unit. When they were better and able to walk and talk to us. To show how much they appreciated us for all we did while they were in I care. Sometimes showering us with gifts ( like doughnuts, flowers, or cards). That is the rewarding part of my job to see people that you didn’t think would make it and they do.
Example: Older Man in a plane crash multiple injuries, on ventilator, and head was so swollen that it was as big as a basketball. I didn’t think he was going to make it, but eventually he got better and was able to go to a regular room. Several months later he came back with his wife in a wheel chair. Thanking us for all we had done for him because it is a TEAM Effort taking care of patients. He told us , I am going to show you something which we waited with excitement. He got up from his wheel chair and stood up. That is so rewarding to see all that time, caring, and love you gave someone paid off. My eyes welled up with tears because I was so happy for him.
Another Example: A Young Man, who had fell from his horse. He was on ventilator and had a shear brain injury. He eventually got off the ventilator but still thrashed around where we had to restrain him to the bed and put pillows on the sides of his head to keep him safe and not injure himself more. The family asked, When he would get better and be able to talk to us? We told them, We can’t give you a time frame. We can only say, It takes time and eventually he will be ok. We put him in a Halo Bed so we could take restraints off of him. Only this made him thrash around even more and it became a chore trying to keep him in the bed straight. He also got better to go to a regular room. Then months later he came back with his Mom, which we didn’t recognize him because he looked like a normal teenager. Mom stopped at the desk explained who they were and we couldn’t believe it. She told us how much she appreciated everything we did for them. We showed him where his room was in the unit. He said, I don’t even remember being in here. I want to apologize how I was in here because my family has told me stories of how I was and how y’all took care of me. We told him that was okay that is what we are here for to care of you. Again I cried because you don’t get those kind of stories all the time, because there are sad stories in the STICU too.
Example: An Older Woman who had pneumonia and on the ventilator for a while. She eventually got off but had to go back on again because oxygen level was low. Then she had other complications going on with her that she died one night and I wasn’t there. But while she was there in the unit as our patient, we took care of her husband that never left her side. We made sure he was fed and taken care of. We celebrated his birthday with birthday cake and balloons, which he was so appreciative of what we had done for him and his wife. He was a very sweet man. We loved taking care of him and his wife. Because it’s not only taking care of a patient, we also take of their family too. A few days later I was at a restaurant with my family and the man, whose wife had died several days ago was there across from our table. I went over and talked to him to see how he was doing. He said, He was fine! He asked, how the girls in STICU were? So we talked for a while. Then I sat down and ate with my family. When we were done with our meal. We asked, The waiter for our check. He said, The man that was sitting across from you that you spoke too paid for your meal. I was so overwhelmed that I just broke down and cried. That someone would do that for me just because I took care of him and his wife as she was dying. It was a sweet gesture and I never got to thank him, because he had left the restaurant. It just goes to show you if you really love your job and take care of people the way you would want to be taking care of and to the best of your abilities. You will be rewarded.
I left the STICU after working with them about 13 years but I am still with Atrium Health Navicent but transferred to School House Health as a School House Tech, but the Staff at the school call me Nurse Ralston b/c they don’t know the difference. I changed jobs because my back had been hurting me for the last couple of years I was there after I had given birth to my twin girls on July 15, 2014. The reason my back was hurting me was because of a degenerative disc in my back. It had happened because of working over the years lifting and turning patients even though we have equipment that helps us with doing these task my disc became weak and was pinching my sciatic nerve. I love being a School House Tech it is such a wonderful experience and working with a great team too! I have been a School House Tech for 4 years. I wouldn’t change it for the world, because I love taking care of my students. Example: You have anything from little Boo Boo’s that need ice pack or band aids to helping a child not be scared of being at school. This student that was scared to be at school was scared because he didn’t want to catch the virus (Covid-19). I talked and encouraged him that we were doing all we can to keep him safe as he is here in the school building by: checking temps., making sure everyone wears a mask, social distancing 6ft., and washing our hands. I gave him a sticker that he picked out which was a car. I called it the Brave Sticker. I told him because he has the Brave sticker he was going to be ok to go back to class and do his work because the Brave Sticker will protect him until the end of the day. He got to feeling better smiling as he left my office. At the end of the day I saw him at dismissal as he was going to car pool to get picked up. I asked, How he was doing? He said, I am ok and smiled. Also, have students that have Autism or ADHD, who need encouragement to go back to class because they are shy or upset about what happened in the classroom. I have purchased some new Autism fidget toys that should be coming in soon. That will help calm them down and help them go back into class. So, all the places I have gone in my career. I have enjoyed because caring for people is what I love to do and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
To inspire someone to be a Nurse. I would say, If caring for people is your passion and you love doing it! Be a Nurse. It’s the best job you would ever have!
Dawn Ralston SHH was one of our BNF 2021 Celebrate Nurse Heroes - Share Your Story Winners.
