We’ve seen a lot of heartbreaking things happen in recent months no thanks to the global health crisis. But, there’s nothing sadder than watching someone withdraw from the world and become depressed, all because they’ve been forcibly isolated from their families.
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot that can be done in these situations, especially for essential healthcare workers who are struggling to keep their patients safe from harm.
But, one heartsick ICU nurse was able to come up with an innovative way to connect her COVID patients with their loved ones, and it’s almost like having them right there in the room with them!
Stuffed animals have brought comfort to many people throughout the ages, which is why, along with flowers, they’re one of the most common “get well” gifts that people bring to hospitals.
But Michelle Vaughan’s teddy bear creations do more than just give fluffy hugs – they actually talk back to their loved ones!
Michelle, who has been working as a registered nurse in the ICU for seven years, has taken care of many people over the years. But, the pandemic has changed how she interacts with both her patients and their families.
“The very first COVID-19 patient that came into our intensive care unit, she was really sick. It was really sad, because her family member wasn’t able to be with her. It was her husband, and that really touched me. I was so heartsick for him.”
Necessity, as they say, is the mother of invention. Since Michelle wasn’t allowed to let her patient’s families share the same room with each other, she came up with a different way to bring them together.
With the help of Meagan Wright, one of her fellow nurses at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, the two came up with a brilliant plan to reconnect isolated families.
Meagan reached out to the patient’s families, and asked them to talk into a little recording device. Michelle would then sew these recording devices inside a stuffed teddy bear animal.
“We encourage them to use nicknames,” Wright explained. “We always say to them they can hear that. It’s something they know, and it will help them fight. We’ve seen it.”
Michelle and Meagan don’t waste any time. As soon as the last stitch is sewn into the teddy bear, the thoughtful nurses lovingly place them in the arms of their patients.
With the push of the button, they can magically “be with” their family. Michelle said:
“Every single time they go into the rooms, they push the button, so that they can feel the presence of their family there somehow.”
The patients that these two ICU nurses are caring for are often sedated, intubated, and some of them are even unresponsive.
But, just like coma patients, hearing the voice of a loved can still make a huge difference in their lives.
Michelle got emotional when she recounted one patient who was recently discharged. That person’s perception was that her loved one was actually speaking to her.
“The nurse said to her, ‘Did you hear your family talking to you in that bear?’ And she said, “Oh yeah! They called me every single night!'”
For Michelle and Meagan, feedback like this has made their endeavor totally worthwhile.
The pair and given over two dozen of these special teddy bears to their patients at St. Mary’s, and they’re not planning to stop anytime soon.
Even after the pandemic ends, they are going to continue providing these special care packages to their patients.
Check out the video below to find out more information about these talking teddy bears.
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