Life as a nurse is never routine. A nurse must consistently be prepared for the unexpected. One particular day in recent months, a Code Blue was called on our unit. I observed as the numerous disciplines arrived to the patient's room. Bill Owens from the Rapid Response Team was one of the first to arrive. I observed from outside the room--to be available if needed. I was amazed by the way Bill calmly, methodically, and confidently began leading this emergency situation. He provided instruction and guidance to the other specialty individuals. Occasionally, he would look to the door and give instruction for retrieval of a needed item or to make a phone call.

Next is the act that warmed and impressed me the most. Sporadically, Bill would lean towards the patient's ear and in a very calm voice provide reassurance to the patient, calling him by name. "We are going to help you". "We're calling your family". Bill's rapid matching of demands and resources while never forgetting the patient is remarkable. This ability is a true gift.

More recently, one of my nurses shared a situation he experienced with Bill. A patient's condition had come to the point that the family was making very difficult decisions related to the care. The spouse eventually made the decision for comfort care. She wanted to spend every minute she could with her husband and did not want to leave his side. Respecting her emotional needs while realizing her physical needs, Bill went to the cafeteria, purchased food, and transported it back to the spouse to allow her to remain at the bedside during this difficult transition period.

Dr. Patricia Benner developed a framework of clinical competence for nursing using five stages from Novice to Expert. Following is her definition of an Expert Nurse:

"Expert Nurses are able to recognize demands and resources in situations and attain their goals. These nurses know what needs to be done. They have an intuitive grasp of the situation based on their deep knowledge and experience. They focus on the most relevant problems and not irrelevant ones."

Bill is truly viewed as an Expert Nurse and a role model for other nurses throughout the organization. It is a privilege to have a nurse of this caliber working on our team and in our organization.