I have been a patient in the outpatient infusion center for over ten years now. Many nurses have come and gone but Angie has been a constant shining light since she entered that unit. As a nurse myself I know what good nursing care consists of. Some nurses are competent in what they do and provide good care, but some nurses are competent and provide excellent care. Angie is one who provides excellent care, not only in the physical realm but in the mental and social realm too. I have been chronically ill with Crohn’s disease and inflammatory arthritis for over 12 years now. Ten of those I have been getting infusions, seven of those with a port. It can be a lonely road full of lots of ups and downs, victories and failures. Angie has been my caregiver, my cheerleader, my medical sounding board, and has become one of my support people and a friend.

When you are treated as a person who has not just physical medical needs to be cared for but also as a human who is valued mentally and as a part of a community it means the world to patients. We are not just another appointment for the day, another body in the chair, and Angie recognizes that in each person she cares for. When you sit in a chair for hours getting your infusion you hear how people are greeted and talked to. She treats all with grace and respect, something that can be lacking in the world today. Her clinical skills are exceptional, she brings up new staff and shapes their skill and patient connections, troubleshoots with grace and a cool head, is the go-to person for all in the area when they have questions or concerns, and best of all leaves patients like me seeing her as the bright light in a sometimes very dark place.

My infusion today exemplified her skill and compassion. My port was accessed with a needle that was not right for me, by another nurse. I had a gut feeling that something was not right. Many red flags were going off for me as a patient, and as a nurse, and I was not being listened to very well initially. Angie came into my room, saw the look on my face, and immediately recognized that something was not right. She took the time to listen to me, valued my experience as a long-time patient and fellow nurse, and immediately took action to help me. It was not a lifesaving thing, but it meant so very much to myself and my husband to get that care right then when I needed it. That is not the only time she has given me excellent care but today, when I was in tears and a patient in distress, she gave me everything.

Yes, I am a nurse, but when my scrubs are off, I am a patient first. I am not always able to advocate for myself immediately when I am in distress or in pain, like today. Knowing that Angie was there to do it for me took the pressure off and let me be just a patient for a bit. That is gold. That is a gift that cannot be ignored. She deserves to be acknowledged and recognized for her beautiful work and soul. She is the exception in the nursing world.