Crystal is not just a nurse, but an extraordinary one. A passionate nurse, one who lives life with a vision, committed to putting back into the world at least the equivalent of what she takes out of it.
Words are inadequate tools that have limits, and in some cases, prove incapable of doing justice to the thing they are describing. It is impossible for me to perfectly and thoroughly encapsulate just how great Crystal is.
To truly be an effective and kindhearted nurse; I feel that one must possess the ability to practice medicine as not only a science but an art. Aristotle stated it best when he said, "Educating the mind without educating the heart, is no education at all." Crystal excels in both the art and science of medicine.
Crystal effectively demonstrated her diverse knowledge on multiple occasions, however; the impact she made on me was not one that was learned from a textbook, her lasting impression, was one that simply came from her heart.
Competent, sensitive nurses like Crystal are the prize of the medical profession. Crystal is the type of nurse one admires, the type one diligently strives to mirror. She is one for whom kindness is an instinct and compassion is a lifestyle. Her sensitivity is overwhelming and contagious, going above and beyond the expectations of the job performance, raising the bar for fellow nurses to a superior level.
A few years ago, I had to spend several weeks in the CCU, at a time when people my age are just finishing college and starting their lives. It was truly the most overwhelming and vulnerable moment of my young life until I met Crystal. Dive into the world of this nurse, and you will undoubtedly be impressed. Her positive and compassionate disposition reflects in each patient that she tends to. She wore a smile on her face, and a caring nature on her sleeve for her entire shift, taking pride not just in the quantity, but the quality of time with her patients. Crystal addressed my concerns, held my hand, gave me reassurance, and ultimately became a friend during a time when many patients feel alone.
Too often, we undervalue the influence a kind word, a glimmer of hope, or the smallest act of caring one can have on an individual. Crystal has a gift that few can claim and managed to put a smile on my face that proved difficult to produce for some time. She would visit me on her days off, paint my nails, do my hair, wiped away my tears, and would come in to just sit and chat. She is proof that sometimes the most powerful healing a patient can receive, is not found in the operating room or a medication, but rather through the simple act of compassion and the touch of human kindness.
I cannot stress or emphasize enough, the impact Crystal had on my life. She is the reason I elected to pursue a career in nursing; with hopes of someday touching the lives of my own patients, the way that Crystal touched mine.