Leah Burkhardt

Carolyn Mellen (left), Leah Burkhardt (middle) and Shelley Rine (right).

“One of Leah's patients was recently hospitalized in Albuquerque while on a business trip.  Luggage went on to the arranged destination but without the patient. The patient also had valuables in her room such as her laptop, expensive purse, wallet, business files and other things.”

“Leah went out of her way while caring for her usual patient load to call the airport and airline multiple times about the luggage, contact the patient's husband about her status, call security to be sure the valuables would not get lost in all the shuffling, fill out proper valuables tickets and spoke with the charge nurse about how to properly handle this unusual circumstance.”

“All the while, Leah gave empathetic and competent care to this woman, who was extremely stressed about her unanticipated medical problems, as well as the other patients in her assignment. I watched her stay calm and cheerful as responsibilities multiplied around her with these extra tasks requiring a lot of her time.  This encouraged me to try emulating her example myself.”