I nominate two nurses together who have taken care of a very difficult patient: not just for a shift or a few days or even for a week; but who volunteered to care for a patient on a daily consistent basis for over a month. (Despite the fact that this patient did not want to be in the hospital, refused transfer, and would get violent and aggressive at least daily).

The patient made it known she did not like the nurses, because they wanted her to take her insulin when her blood sugar was 500, and wanted her to take antibiotics when the threat of amputation due to infection became apparent and wanted her to take her antipsychotics medications when she was wild and thought we were out to get her. She even called 911 on them several times and really got upset when security had to be called. This patient was incompetent and unable to know what was going on and had a court appointed guardian who desperately wanted the patient to get good care, and at times could not understand why it was so difficult to provide this care to this patient, let alone provide it with caring and dignity. Many did not want to even go into the room just to be cursed at and swung at; but these two nurses volunteered to do this day after day, after day.

I overheard one of the two saying to the patient, I am sorry you do not like me, but I care about you and I am going to continue to care about you no matter what you do or what you say. I have heard the other nurse ask ethical questions about how to do her care with kindness; advocating for the patient and for her fellow nurses.

Now for a psychiatric nurse, this would be a normal day. But these two nurses are oncology nurses, who are used to giving peaceful end of life care, to patients who are pleasant, cooperative and competent. To repeatedly take on a loud aggressive psychotic woman whose foot was infected and almost necrotic, and who was refusing antibiotics and ALL medical care, needs special recognition. The kind caring compassion that continually was displayed despite being kicked, and screamed at was honorable and way above and beyond.

Creativity in finding ways to administer care, treatment and medication and the team spirit of trying to include all disciplines in the process reflected excellence and deserving of admiration and reward and NEVER giving up finding a different solution.
They worked as a team and gave each other support.

Now I think they need to be recognized for their exceptional display of courage and nursing excellence.