UNSUNG HEROES 2024
Hacker began to wear thin , and left her position as a nurse briefly .
But , she soon found herself inspired , and rejuvenated by her students .
She said , “ I couldn ’ t leave them ... They inspired me to come back and give it my all again .”
In that moment of inspiration , another instance of familial advice came flooding back to Hacker : “ realize that sometimes you have done all that you can do to the best of your ability .”
Those words reminded Hacker that , as unfortunate as it may seem , some cannot be saved from the perils of disease or injury .
For Hacker , the meaning of the word “ care ” extends beyond health outcomes : it means providing compassion and empathy to those who need it most at the bedside .
Hacker said , “ I still remember the first code ( medical emergency ) and the first child we had in the ER while I was there ... I tell myself and my students that we need constant self-evaluation and constant education to ensure that we are being the best that we can be .”
Hacker also divulged the story of one patient with whom she had a close bond and how they reminded her of her purpose .
She said , “ Nurses treat patients , not clients ... When I was a newer nurse , we had an older gentleman who had suffered a stroke that affected his speech ... He developed a rare side effect where he woulds confuse words . If he tried to point to a water bottle to get a drink , he would say ‘ fork ’ instead .... He would become frustrated because he couldn ’ t communicate ... He would be in and out of the
Jerdeay Bailey decided to be pinned by nurse Angie Hacker during his class ’ ceremony at the University of the Cumberlands because of the impact she had on his studies and on his life . |
PHOTO BY ROBERT HALCOMB
hospital a lot with different issues ... I became familiar with him like family , and I eventually learned how to speak with him well enough . One day , he was really frustrated and the other nurses could not figure out what he wanted ... When they called me in , we figured out that he just needed to get up and use the bathroom . He was incredibly grateful .”
Though just one patient of many Hacker has treated , she noted that her time caring for him demonstrated the importance of remaining empathetic in the face of many tragedies .
Last December , Hacker was asked to be the commencement speaker for a group of newly graduated nurses for the University of the Cumberlands .
At the ceremony , Hacker was brought to tears when thanking the students for their dedication and for teaching her as much as she taught them .
According to Hacker , many of her students have asked her about one day becoming a doctor or nurse practitioner , but Hacker said , “ I am a solider , not a general . I don ’ t wanna leave the bedside .”
At the conclusion of her interview , Hacker shared a quote from legendary nurse Florence Nightingale . The quote reads , “ Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses … we must be learning all our lives .”
Hacker plans to continue her career as an ER Nurse at Saint Joseph London and adjunct instructor for UC .
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