Kansas nurse's kindness makes for remarkable hospital stay
Jamin Dodson had never been hospitalized prior to being diagnosed with Sigmoid diverticulitis in July. So when the 32-year-old Wellington, Kansan was looking at surgery after four prior admissions, he was extremely anxious and at times lonely, as his wife was home caring for their two children.
Jamin Dodson, middle right, and his family
Tekeela "Tia" Morriss, LPN, Ascension Via Christi St. Francis
He wrote that Morris, a licensed practical nurse working second shift, took the time to talk to him when he was upset, listened to him talk about his own family and shared with him about hers to take his mind off of "the most serious thing I've ever had to deal with. She treated me like a person. In this fast-paced world we live in this is rare. It's hard for any nurse to be able to take the time and do what she did. So I just wanted to tell her thank you."
Jamin, who is home recovering from his surgery, says that while he had excellent care during his previous hospital stays at Ascension Via Christi St. Teresa and St. Francis, no one else made quite the impact that Morris did.
"She was a friend when I needed one," he says. "So while it was the longest stay and the hardest stay, it was the best stay I have had."
Morris, who is working on her nursing degree, was pleased to have been able to help Jamin, noting, "He was so nervous."
Lorinda Grinstead, Morris' nurse manager, was likewise pleased to hear about Jamin's experience. "Tia is all smiles and always really helpful," says Grinstead. "So this feedback came as no surprise to me!"
Last updated: November 9, 2022