On Sunday, I was sitting with a friend, K, in the ED who, as it turned out, had broken both of her ankles in a fall and was extremely uncomfortable as she awaited care in a very busy ED.

Christeen was walking by, noticed how uncomfortable K was, and asked if there was anything she could do to make her more comfortable. The small things matter!

Christeen got an extra blanket to support K's neck and after being told she couldn't have any water or ice chips, Christeen got K a small cup of water with a swab for the dryness in her mouth.

The one thing that really made a difference was adjusting the position of K's badly broken ankle. When K was admitted to the ED, she had an air-type splint that had been wrapped around it for transport by the EMTs. It had been opened but was in an awkward position under the ankle. Christeen gently lifted the ankle, making sure it was fully supported to avoid any further pain, and another nurse (also very gently) removed the splint and replaced it with a different support pillow. Once that was done, it was evident that the level of relief it had brought to my friend was tremendous. It was only after that that K was able to fully relax.

While we were chatting with Christeen while she worked, she said that she was just finishing her shift but was taking a walk around to see what she could do before she left. That simple act brought immeasurable relief to K in an already stressful situation. For that, both K and I are eternally grateful.