Kristina Skinner, RN, Office of Patient Experience manager at Sanpete Valley Hospital, took great care with an anxious patient who needed help to get past her fears of coming to the hospital. The patient had called with questions about bringing in her service dog to an appointment and Kristina not only gave the patient answers, but she asked good questions to identify a second issue that was causing a lot of worry.
Kristina Skinner, RN
“This patient was autistic and very nervous about being turned away with her service dog at the door,” says Kristina. “I spoke with her at length using Compassionate Connections tools to ask questions and listen while going a little deeper into the conversation. I found out that she was getting an ultrasound, but she was very stressed about not having her mom with her. Her service dog was her lifeline to getting through it.”
Kristina helped the patient understand Intermountain’s Service Dog policy, which allowed the dog to come with her, but then she worked to empathize with the patient’s fears. “I asked, ‘What might happen if your dog couldn’t be with you during a stressful situation?’ The patient told me, ‘I have seizures when I get stressed, but I know if I have my dog with me, I’ll be okay.
Kristina realized a great deal of the patient’s stress was due to fears of the unknown, including the ultrasound. “The patient was afraid of having her dog turned away at the door, but even worse, she was scared to have an ultrasound because she didn’t understand the procedure,” she says. “She thought the ultrasound might cause a lot of pain.”
Kristina explained the ultrasound procedure to the patient, but then she took it one step further. “I offered to meet her and help her get through registration. Then I told her I’d stay with her through the ultrasound if she wanted.”
The patient was grateful for the offer of kindness and to know with certainty her dog would be allowed.
The next morning Kristina met the patient at the front door of Sanpete Valley. “I helped her know she was in good hands every step of the way,” she says. “By the time I dropped her off with the ultrasound tech, the patient felt at ease. When I asked if she still wanted me to stay with her during the procedure, she said to me, ‘I think I’m good,’ and waved me goodbye.”
Kristina is the Compassionate Connections advocate for Sanpete Valley Hospital and surrounding areas. She says the Compassionate Connections resources helped this patient feel comfortable and understood.
“Initially in that phone call, I felt her get uptight about the conversation,” says Kristina. “I tried to empathize what she was experiencing just like a close friend would do. This helped me understand that her concerns went beyond her service dog. She needed to know that everything would be okay and I’m happy I was able to understand her perspective and help her feel secure.”