Just to provide a brief summary of my background, I am a graduating chief resident in the orthopaedic surgery residency program. I am also a nurse and I obtained my BSN prior to medical school. During medical school, I worked as a nurse for the army national guard. Throughout my clinical experience, I have worked with excellent nurses. One nurse who really stands out is Bree. I've known Bree for the past 4 years and over this time, she has demonstrated all the attributes you expect in a great nurse, such as compassion, critical thinking, and dedication to educating students. But working in the trauma department requires another level of skills and character that few possess. Bree has shown time and time again that her role is crucial to the ultimate goal, which is providing the best patient care possible in the usually chaotic environment. As multiple physicians and providers and other staff are performing tasks, Bree's awareness and attention to detail allow her to be prepared to assist every person caring for that patient. It makes you wonder if she cloned herself to be able to be everywhere at once.
An intangible skill she possesses is the ability to navigate through the vastly different personalities caring for a trauma patient. While everyone involved is on a usually higher than normal stress level, Bree is able to help keep the room grounded with her calm and focused demeanor. By filtering out some of the situation's stressors and distractions, this allows the team to better focus on patient care.
Most importantly, Bree has always shown to be a compassionate patient advocate. When our patients arrive from the trauma bay, these patients and their families are in emotional shock. Sometimes what is most important is someone to be there to hold their hand or a pat on the shoulder to further emphasize that the team is focused on doing the best we can for their family member. These small acts can be forgotten in the trauma situation but can make a difference in that moment.
All surgery team members, including the technologists, nurses, and surgeons, would agree that Bree is a joy to work alongside. Her dedication to her profession is exemplary and in my experience, she has been the representation of an Extraordinary Nurse. While nursing may sometimes be a thankless profession, it is important we recognize special nurses like Bree.