Christine Hymel takes caring approach to registered nurse goal
Published 12:08 am Saturday, May 7, 2016
- Christine Hymel, middle holding niece Sutton Brack, stands next to her husband Danny during and awards ceremony at St. James Parish Hospital. Pictured in the back row are Heather Brack, Melissa Bourgeois, Joanne Matherne, Marcy St. Pierre, Susan Poirrier, Aubrey St. Pierre, Missy St. Pierre holding Bryn St. Pierre and Torrie-Lynn Deslatte. Hymel was recently named St. James Parish Hospital Employee of the Quarter. Hymel said she has always had a passion for nursing and taking care of others. (Photos submitted)
LUTCHER — Christine Hymel has always had a passion to help and take care of others; that’s why she decided to become a nurse.
Christine Hymel, left, smiles with Nili Rougee, RN; Felicia Smith, CNA and Lisa Carnaggio, RN. Hymel is taking courses to become a RN.
In her pursuit to help the sick, Hymel graduated from Louisiana Technical College in 2004 and has been working at St. James Hospital as a ER/Acute care nurse ever since.
Hymel is a licensed practical nurse and is enrolled in classes to become a registered nurse.
“I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was child,” she said. “I have always gotten fulfillment from making people feel better. Twelve years with St. James Parish Hospital has brought me through many experiences, many seasons, and my heart grows with each year and each patient encountered.”
It fills Hymel’s heart with joy to be able to help people.
“On the acute care unit we get a mix of all types of patients,” Hymel said. “We get surgery patients, patients from the ER, hospice patients and therapy patients. It’s like a gumbo of patients.”
Being able to connect with the patients she has to deal with on a daily basis is Hymel’s favorite part of her job.
“I love giving individualized care,” she said. “Also, I like educating the patient and the family on their diagnoses. I feel there seems to be a lack of education in medicine and I like to make sure that when the patients go home, they are aware of what they are supposed to be doing at home so they don’t have to return to the hospital.”
Being a nurse, according to Hymel is a 24-hour job.
“You hope when you come in there is nothing critical,” she said. “Nursing doesn’t have a route. You have to stay on your toes and be alert to anything that could happen. You have to make sure that you are aware of a patient’s fall risk or whether or not a patient is contagious enough to contaminate the other patients that you are taking care of.”
Being a nurse requires a lot of time management and critical thinking, Hymel said. With St. James Hospital being a critical care access hospital, Hymel also spends time in the emergency room and in surgery.
A hospice patient’s family recently nominated Hymel for Employee of the Quarter.
“She took care of a patient, my fiancé Marc’s mother during her final days of life,” Torrie Deslatte said. “We as a family had no idea what to expect after she was placed in Hospice. (Hymel,) with her compassion, respect and knowledge, guided the family through the final days of her life.”
Hymel told the family what to expect, and the patient was able to take her final breath at St. James Parish Hospital surrounded by family.
Hymel took home the title of Employee of the Quarter at the end April with her family and the patient’s family that nominated her in attendance.
“I was humbled by the recognition, especially because I was nominated by a hospice patient’s family,” Hymel said. “As a nurse of a hospice patient, you’re not just making the patient comfortable. It’s a holistic experience with the whole family. I feel like it’s important for the family to be included with the patient’s care.”
Hymel said it meant a lot to her that the family was able to be at the ceremony when she received her award.
By Raquel Derganz Baker
