Bloomin' Rose
Date: November 23, 2009

So often nurses and other medical professionals forget they must connect to their patients on a more human level when the patient’s survival depends on the caregiver’s ability to go the extra mile. Rose Ware is an exceptional nurse who extends that life saving rope of hope.

Our cancer patients come in to Infusion Therapy dreading their treatments. They are troubled by the time requirement, the resulting side effects and the knowledge that the chemotherapy is not guaranteed to save their lives. Rose responds to those patients in a way I have not seen from anyone else.

When the patient walks in the door, Rose starts with the basics, taking vital signs, height and weight. She asks, “Can I make you more comfortable?” Then, it’s show time!

From rooms away, you'll hear Rose’s patients laughing, talking and cheering each other on. Rose engages our patients in stories, in dance, in sheer laughter, and she does it every day, regardless of her schedule or how many trips she has made to the pharmacy for our department.

Her special brand of show-biz magic has had a profound effect her co-workers and her patients. Not long ago, Rose proved just how special she is when she helped one of our patients in a dire situation.

We had a gentlemen client, George, who was quite a bear when he first came to us. His prognosis was grim, and his treatment was only palliative. George had no family, no one to bring him or stay with him, no support system and no resources. For the first three weeks he rarely spoke, giving a short response only when he was personally addressed. Rose did what she does best. She put on her smile, found something to talk about and entertained him as he received his medicine.

Never badgering or coercing, she simply offered him her personal brand of TLC. The more time George spent with Rose, the more he opened up, even giving an unheard-of goodbye hug when he completed his treatment for the day. She pulled George out of a bad place, and I don’t know that anybody else could have done that.

Once George came for his regular appointment on a day when Rose was not scheduled to work. I was almost in tears when George told me he’d rather reschedule an appointment than miss spending time with Rose. He said he had been looking forward to seeing her all week. I had to smile at that. When he told me that, that day, I started to laugh until I realized he was absolutely serious.

He enjoys being with Rose that much. They formed a special bond; and the beautiful thing is that it’s not just George who she does that with. That’s our Rose. She blooms where she’s planted and grows a garden all around her.

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