Lacey Barnes is an RN on the Cardiovascular/Thoracic Unit (CVTU) at Heartland. Here is her HI story:
Both my parents passed away when I was younger. I went to live with a family that I had grown up with, and from that I really wanted to take care of people the way other people had volunteered to take care of me. That led me to becoming a tech, and when I was a tech I realized how much I really loved taking care of people, so I went to Missouri Western to get my bachelors to become a registered nurse (RN).
I love the challenge of working in CVTU. I work with a great bunch of people. We have critical, acutely ill patients. It's a continuing education experience every day. The very best part is patient care. Getting feedback from the patients you are taking care of, having them make a note about you, or tell your team leader that you took good care of them, that's the best recognition I can possibly get. Sometimes patients want to take me home with them to take care of them and that always makes me feel great. Then I know I've done a good job.
We are a critical care area and we get code blues, and caring for that patient as quickly and as well as I can, and saving that person for their family, it's just a great feeling. One time I was walking a patient back from the restroom and his heart rate dropped into the 20's. I got him back to the bed, where he passed out and then went into cardiac and respiratory arrest. I called code blue and started compressions. We gave him medications and ended up bringing him back, and the family cried in my arms afterward.
As an RN, I give medications, I do patient assessments, I interact with my patients' care team, their doctors, I take them for tests and check with dietary, I am their advocate. But what I really like best is being with the patient. Sitting and talking with them, answering their questions, and having their trust -- that's the best.