Heroes

SHELLEY GRAESER

NOMINATED BY: PETE CZECH | SEPTEMBER 08, 2009 | Missouri Baptist Hospital-Sullivan

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Shelley Graeser, RN, BJC Hospice, wasn’t supposed to visit her patient, Norman Hedges, on this particular day in February. But it was a good thing she did.

His blood pressure was low, so she stopped by his house after a meeting she attended. When she arrived, Hedges told Graeser he wasn’t feeling well and suddenly went into cardiac arrest. Graeser immediately began performing CPR and told his wife and daughter to call 911.

"Being a hospice nurse, I don’t perform CPR too often, and I kept praying that all of my training would kick in — and it did,” Graeser says. She kept talking to him, saying, “Stay with me Norman,” while his wife and daughter were crying and praying at the same time.

After nine rounds of CPR, Graeser saw Hedges’ blue eyes open, and his wife and daughter cried tears of joy. The EMT staff arrived and took him to Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, where he stayed for four days and his family says he received exemplary care in the emergency room and during his hospital stay.

"We have an awesome team, between the hospice staff, EMT staff and the ER staff,” says Graeser. “It’s all about teamwork at BJC.”

The grateful family sent a letter of thanks to BJC Home Care Services, which reads in part:

“We are writing to commend your employee, Shelley Graeser, RN, for her over-and-above sense of commitment and dedication to her patients and their families. She resuscitated my husband Feb. 4 when, just minutes after she arrived, he had a heart attack and stopped breathing. Thanks to her, we are blessed with more time to spend with my husband because of Shelley’s ‘gift.’ Her caring spirit and witty personality are good medicine for him as well. BJC Hospice is extremely fortunate to have Shelley on staff, as we are to have her in our hearts.”

— Carla and Norman Hedges

The family also sent a copy of the letter to the city of Sullivan, and the mayor of Sullivan recognized Graeser by presenting a proclamation to her.

Norman Hedges was given a second chance and is here with us today and has been doing fine ever since,” Graeser says. “We bought him some precious time, and he is enjoying life with his wife and grandchildren. He is a special patient of mine whom I still visit two times a week. We have a close relationship.

I feel good to be a nurse and I’m just thrilled that I was at the right place at the right time,” Graeser says. “It was just meant to be.”