Integrity

Inspired by her mother who was always taking care of family members, Lincoln has been an RN for 43 years.

Over the course of her career at Northside and then Eastside, Lincoln has worked on the medical unit, coronary care and has acted as nursing supervisor for the hospital. She took on the role of patient educator in 1994.

She says, “The incidence of diabetes began to rise sharply, so I developed an outpatient diabetes education department for Eastside Medical Center. In 2001, the American Diabetes Association recognized our Diabetes Education Center as meeting the national standards for diabetes self-management education. I developed the outpatient diabetes program over the years and have provided a free diabetes support group meeting for the last 19 years.”

Recently, Lincoln found her skills were best utilized not in the classroom but at the home of a patient.

She received a call on New Year’s Eve from an ICU nurse about a diabetic patient who had been discharged the previous day. The patient was elderly and confused about her insulin regimen so the ICU nurse called the Diabetes Center cell phone and Lincoln answered.

Lincoln says, “I obtained the patient’s number and made arrangements to go to the patient’s home to help re-educate her about her insulin. Upon arrival, the patient never answered the door, and I became very concerned. So, I went around to the side of the house and found an unlocked door. I went in and called the patients’ name, and I finally found her on a bathroom toilet. She could not get up by herself.”

“I assisted her up and was helping her back to her room when she collapsed. I carried her a few feet, and carefully placed her on the bedroom floor on her side. I immediately called 911 and we transported her to Eastside Medical Center.”

“I contacted her grandson, locked up her house, and met her in the Emergency Room where she was treated and subsequently admitted.”

Lincoln says that concern for the well-being of this patient prompted her to visit the patient at home. She says the patient was so grateful and also realized that she was unable to care for herself.

The patient was transferred to rehab for a bit but Lincoln says she was so resilient she was able to return home for a while before entering hospice due to heart failure.

In her long career, Lincoln says she has never once regretted becoming a nurse.

She says, “Patients are emotional when they are in the hospital. They are scared, and often fearful of the unknown. I recognize that, and I think it is important that as a nurse, we always remember that. They may also be angry because of loss of control, so being patient, compassionate, and understanding is so important for a nurse, or any other staff member.”