‘Servant leader’: many aspire to such a title but all too few embody it before they are pulled back into their pride. Amanda is one of the rare few. Too humble to thrust herself into positions of dominance, yet too skilled to leave another in a helpless position. Soft-spoken, sociable, and encouraging. After an extremely chaotic and trying night shift, for which Amanda was gracefully charge nurse, she approached me with a card in hand to thank me for my help that night. What! The relief charge nurse who ping-ponged between 4 or 5 new admissions without a complaint is thanking me? Who personally admitted the busiest patient (a cardiac arrest) yet didn’t leave the unit until she had ensured all nurses were caught up on their work from the night? Amanda had all the right to kick the ground and curse the air, yet she chose thanksgiving. Many would gossip, complain, and sow seeds of dissent but she focused on the good that shone through that dark night. Her handwritten letter contained a personal, heartfelt, and encouraging message. I was one of many to receive such a card. Thank you Amanda for the example you set for our unit. You truly embody the ethics and ethos of a great nurse in personality as well as in practice. Amanda, you are an Extraordinary Nurse and an inspiration to us all! 

Note: This is Amanda's 3rd DAISY Award!