A simple bear, a big impact at AdventHealth Porter

DENVER, Colo. — Chelsea Campanella, a charge nurse on the medical-surgical telemetry unit at AdventHealth Porter, knows that sometimes the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference for her patients.

As a charge nurse, Chelsea’s shifts are rarely predictable. She helps manage patient assignments, assists with admissions and discharges, supports other nurses, and often jumps in wherever help is needed.

“You have to be flexible and ready to face whatever problem needs to be solved,” she said. “Every shift is a bit different.”

Her passion for nursing began early, inspired by her mother, who is also a nurse.

“Her stories fascinated me growing up,” Chelsea said. “The ones that stood out most were when she made someone smile or advocated for the right thing for her patient. I knew I wanted to be like my mom.”

During one of her recent shifts, Chelsea cared for a patient who had recently been diagnosed with dementia and had just moved into a memory care unit.

When the patient was admitted, her husband and son stayed with her to reassure her that everything would be okay, but it was clear they were anxious.

Before leaving, the patient’s husband quietly shared with Chelsea that his wife sometimes wandered at night and asked if the hospital would be able to keep her safe. Chelsea reassured him that the care team had tools in place to help ensure his wife’s safety.

When the family left, the patient became upset and tried to follow them, asking them not to leave. Chelsea stayed with her for a while, helping her get comfortable and talking with her as she tried to understand where she was and why she was in the hospital.

“She was tearful and couldn’t remember why she was there or where her family had gone,” Chelsea said.

Before the end of her shift, Chelsea wanted to make sure the patient had something that might help her feel less alone during the night. She took a towel and folded it into a small bear.

When she handed it to the patient, her reaction was immediate.

“Her face lit up,” she said. “She asked me where I found it and told me that her granddaughter had made it for her.”

Chelsea gently reassured her that her family must have left it for her before they went home. The patient hugged the towel bear tightly, and it was the first time Chelsea had seen her relax since arriving on the unit.

Chelsea first began making towel bears early in her career after graduating from nursing school in March 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. During that time, many patients with dementia were hospitalized and unable to have family members visit.

“The towel bear was my way of giving them comfort when they couldn’t have their loved ones there,” she said.

She has continued making them ever since for patients who may need a little extra comfort during difficult moments. Over the years, she has made more bears than she can count.

After the patient was discharged, Chelsea received a letter from the patient’s husband thanking her for the kindness she showed his wife.

“I definitely had tears running down my face by the end of that letter,” she said. “It was so touching that he took the time to write it during such a scary period for them.”

During their conversation at discharge, he also shared that his granddaughter, who is also a nurse, makes towel bears for patients as well. The moment made the patient’s earlier comment about her granddaughter making the bear even more meaningful.

For Chelsea, moments like this reflect why she became a nurse.

“I just want people to feel safe in the hospital,” she said. “I want our patients to feel cared for and know that they are more than just a patient to us.”