Connie Elliott, RN

PREOP/PACU Staff Nurse

Lee Memorial Health System – HealthPark

Ft. Myers

Connie Elliott is a Perioperative RN currently taking care of adult and pediatric patients before and after surgery.  She has been taking care of patients for over 30 years and she is often praised in letters for her wonderful spirit and how she makes her patients feel safe and supported during this stressful time.

In early June, Connie was taking a well-deserve vacation to visit her son in Ohio.  She boarded her flight, sat back, and started to relax.  About 40 minutes into the flight an overhead page was made requesting that if a doctor or nurse was on board, they identify themselves.  Connie looked around silently to see if anyone was responding and after a few seconds, she answered the call.

The flight attendant told her that there was a passenger who had become sick and she was concerned and would appreciate any help she could give her.  Connie was led to the sick passenger, an elderly gentleman who was diaphoretic and barely had a pulse.  Connie quickly put on her nurse’s cap and began her assessment and nursing care plan.  She applied oxygen, requested a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, and asked the fight attendant to bring the AED and place it nearby.  As she monitored his vital signs, she asked the flight attendant to ask the pilot to make an emergency landing.  The pilot received clearance to make the unplanned landing in Atlanta and Connie continued to work with her patient, Don.  He became more alert as Connie stimulated him with her skill.  He was able to tell her his health history and that he was 85 years old and traveling with his wife, Rosemary, who had Alzheimer’s.

As they landed in Atlanta, Connie had a nagging feeling about leaving Don and Rosemary alone in Atlanta.  She thought about her plans in Ohio with her son and without hesitation made the selfless decision to deplane with them and remain at the hospital until family could be contacted and could travel to Georgia.

Connie continued to care for her patients and told them that she would not leave them alone and would be staying with them.  She asked them whom she could call when they landed and was handed their daughter’s contact information.  Connie stared at the name and asked them what their daughter did.  When she was told she was a nurse, Connie was stunned to realize that she had been hired by and had worked with their daughter for seven years prior to relocating to Florida. After landing, they were transported to an Atlanta hospital and Don was admitted and taken to the cardiac cath lab.

Connie made the call to Don’s daughter who was delighted to hear from her former colleague until Connie said, “Stop, I have news to tell you about your father.”  Connie shared the events and arrangements were made for Don’s family to travel to Atlanta.

Connie was “relieved” of her duties and traveled on to Ohio and spent the remainder of the trip with her son but with a pleasant surprise.  After Don underwent his intervention, he was stable enough to be released and they also made their way to Ohio just in time to attend their granddaughter’s wedding.

As a thank-you, they asked Connie to come to the wedding as a special guest and to share in the celebration.  The family expressed their heartfelt appreciation of Connie’s nursing skills and compassion in caring for both Don and Rosemary in their time of need.  Connie shared that she got goose bumps as she watched this couple, who had been married for 63 years, embrace as they made their way to the dance floor to slow dance at their granddaughter’s wedding.

Kandy K. DeWitt, Director of Surgical Services, HealthPark,

Lee Memorial Health System