Helping patients feel at home when they need it most

For Hannah Meyers, caring for patients goes far beyond clinical care. As a traveling nurse at UCHealth Estes Valley Medical Center, she wants her patients to feel seen and cared for during some of their most vulnerable moments.

One recent patient left a lasting impression.

The patient had been staying at the hospital for nearly three weeks while receiving ongoing wound care. Living several states away from his family, he didn’t have loved ones nearby to visit and spent much of his time getting to know the caregivers who became a familiar part of his daily routine.

“He was funny and full of stories,” Meyers said. “He’d call us into his room at sunrise to show us the view or point to elk outside his window. He did everything he could to keep from getting stir-crazy.”

Over time, Meyers got to know the patient well. Learning about his childhood, his family and the life he had built.

As the weeks passed, Meyers noticed the toll the extended hospital stay was beginning to take on the patient. Being out of his normal routine and staying in the hospital had him feeling discouraged. Wanting to help lift his spirits, she set aside time to give him a shower, a fresh shave and a haircut.

“When you are in the hospital for that long, it is easy to feel disconnected from your normal routine,” she said. “Something as simple as a shower, shave and fresh bed sheets can make such a difference. It helps people feel like themselves again.”

The transformation was immediate.

“He was smiling and seemed lighter. You could tell he felt refreshed,” she said.

That night the patient slept well, something he had often struggled to do during his stay. More than anything, he seemed grateful for the extra care and attention.

For Meyers, the experience reinforced the importance of the small, personal touches that can make a hospital stay a little easier.

“Working at EVMC allows a level of attentive care I don’t always get to give in many other hospitals I’ve worked at,” she said. “We have the time to sit down with our patients, give them a shower or help them shave, listen to their stories and make sure they feel seen as a person, not just a patient.”

Those moments are among some of the most rewarding parts of nursing.

“The little things matter,” she said. “If I can help someone feel more comfortable, more confident or sleep a little easier, that’s important. I want to help them feel like a million bucks.”