They sometimes spit in her face, but the care she provides makes her a hero

Sheryl Adams has worked in the same unit, on the same floor, in the same hospital for 15 years.

Adams is as a nurse in the renal unit at Navicent Health. Nurses on the renal floor usually work with long-term dialysis patients who have acute kidney failure.

Working on the renal floor can be difficult, she said.

“A lot of time, it’s the same patients and they are in and out (because) they are so sick,” Adams said. “They have heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure, their kidneys don’t work and … they have to have a special diet … it’s a hard life for them.”

“I feel that the renal patients really need somebody that can be there for them,” Adams said. “They need a familiar face, somebody that they know has their back.”

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Adams was one of nine people awarded the Georgia Hospital Heroes Award by the Georgia Hospital Association on Nov. 9.

Adams was recognized for her longtime dedication to the hospital and good care of patients, according to a press release, which also cited her reputation for being able to handle and connect with the toughest patients and families in the renal unit.

“The extra care that Sheryl Adams provides to her patients makes a tremendous difference in patient recovery,” said GSA president and CEO Earl Rogers.

“A lot of the patients, when they come in, they know me by (my name) like a family; I feel like I know these people,” Adams said.

At one point in her nursing career, Adams was set to move to the ICU, but the move never happened.

“I told one of my patients I was moving and he said, ‘You can’t leave us, Sheryl. You’ve always been here for us, we need you.,’ ” Adams said. “So I said, ‘You know what, I’m not going. I need to stay here.’”

Adams teared up as she shared her story. She said she was emotional because all of her patients are special to her.

“Nurses have a really hard job because, even though you try to do something special for all (patients), there are some that will spit on your face, throw feces at you, hit at you,” Adams said. “There are some that, even though you try, they don’t want you to love them.”

Despite the hardships, Adams said she and her fellow nurses continue to try to show kindness to all their patients, whether it is covering them in a warm blanket, preparing them a home-cooked meal or something as easy as a providing a smile.

“You can always do something to brighten their lives.”

Adams said she was in disbelief when she learned she won the award. She said she felt the award should not have gone just to her but to everybody who works at the hospital.

“All over the hospital we have nurses that just do incredible things, they give their patients extra time after work. I’ve never seen a place like this place that has nurses that just want to help people so much,” Adams said.

Adams is not only popular with patients, she is well-liked by her colleagues.

“Sheryl is very upbeat and helpful. (She) is very quick to understand all the problems we have on the floor,” said nurse Latonya Gaines.

“If we need something immediately, she gets the job done,” Gaines said.

Although Adams has received a lot of media attention because of the award, she is not letting her newfound fame get to her head.

She sticks to her usual routine of being kind to everyone, building relationships with her patients and leaving a lipstick stain on a forehead or two.

“I put my lipstick on a lot of stuff,” Adams said.

This story was originally published December 27, 2017 at 1:10 PM with the headline "They sometimes spit in her face, but the care she provides makes her a hero."