Diagnosed with a severe joint disorder at 21 years old that left her unable to smile or talk, as well as depressed and suicidal, one nurse executive credits the compassion of the caregivers who tended to her during her hospital stays as the motivating force she needed to persevere and live the life she wanted.
At 21 years old, Debra Fox, RN, was diagnosed with temporomandibular joint disorder, a disorder that causes severe pain in one's jaw joints and muscles. Forty-eight surgeries later, Ms. Fox is still unable to smile, but she said she's doing much better than ever before. Now, the 57-year-old woman serves as CNO of Las Vegas-based University Medical Center of Southern Nevada. In an interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ms. Fox credits her survival to the compassion and care of those attending to her throughout many hospital stays. She said it's now her mission to ensure everyone that walks through UMCSN receives the same level of quality care in their time of need.
"Often, the difference between death and survival in a health crisis is how a caregiver interacts with you, how much confidence he or she showed in your ability to survive and thrive … I've personally experienced both the best and the worst in nursing care. I made a vow that if I survived and recaptured my career I would provide a work environment where nurses could engage with patients in a therapeutic way, where correct behaviors were role-modeled. If patients come away from UMC[SN] saying all our caregivers are compassionate and caring, then I'll be happy."
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