To say that Darlene is passionate is an understatement. Darlene's clinical skills, wealth of information, care and compassion for nursing never goes unnoticed to her peers and patients. Caring and compassion can not be learned in nursing school, they are special gifts and Darlene has shown that she holds these very special gifts.

My personal experience was the day I myself was to have a surgical procedure. Although I had family with me and the fact that nurses make horrible patients it was a very stressful time. In pre-op in walked Darlene. I will never be able to thank her enough for that day. She not only was a peer and friend she was my advocate. She asked all the right questions, she made sure that my daughters were okay and when the procedure was over she made sure I was ok. She was my angel that day!

Working beside Darlene I have made the statement several times that if I was ever a patient, Darlene is the one I would want taking care of me. Most recently my step-dad was an ER patient, although he did not want to be at the hospital he was heavily encouraged by his family. He was admitted but would not have a room till morning. Darlene would be his nurse for the night; it was her reassurance that gave my mother the strength to leave my step-dads bedside that night.

She is consoling to those in despair, generous to those in need and comforting to those in worry. She is truly an extraordinary nurse. Darlene is thorough, detailed, and passionate about what she does which makes an obvious impact on the lives of all her patients and their families. Working with someone like Darlene in the Emergency Department is a blessing and she deserves to be recognized for her exceptional contributions.