Hospice nurse an angel on earth, family believes
Published: October 18, 2005
If there are angels on earth, we can be sure that one is among us. And at least one patient’s family believes that angel would be Amy Altman, RN, of Hospice of Salina Inc.
Helping families come together at the patient’s end of life and helping to make a dying experience bearable are the most satisfying parts of Altman’s job. Altman’s work is all worthwhile when she hears patients say how glad they are to finally be pain free, or by simply holding the hand of someone who is dying, and then holding their loved one’s hand.
“We promise these people that we are going to hold their hand on this journey,” Altman said.
And that’s exactly what she does.
The ability to connect so deeply with her patients comes from Altman’s ability to understand even their unspoken needs. She studies their faces and truly gets to know them, even when they can’t speak. With her skills and education, she could advance her career to be more administrative, but that’s not what she wants to do. Altman wants to be right there with the patients, and the patients need her there with them.
Altman’s employer describes her as a “perfect fit” for hospice care. She answered her calling and knows it. She can often be heard walking down the hall singing “I LOVE my job.” And they love having her do it.
“I always knew I wanted to do something in health care,” Altman said.
And she is doing that beautifully with hospice care.
“I knew that was my niche,” she said.
But colleagues also see Altman as a role model and always a professional, and deserving of recognition. She keeps herself educated and up-to-date as a clinician and mentors students and medical residents when they complete hospice rotations.
Comforting, supportive, kind, sensitive, gentle, loving and caring are words families use to describe Altman. In nominating Altman for the Heart of Healthcare award, one family member mentioned Altman’s beautiful hands, describing her touch as a caress over the patient’s ravaged body. And her compassionate care and attention to the families of the loved ones must be emphasized.
Being a hospice nurse is what Altman plans to keep doing because it’s a lifestyle she has chosen and one that her family supports.
“I am at the right place at the right time when I’m supposed to be,” Altman said.
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