“Leda” has been wonderful for the past three days in treating my father after his hemorrhagic stroke. He’s had aphasia on and off since a drain was put in. Due to the aphasia, he has had issues with evacuating waste and eating and wasn’t taking his medications, so there were issues with his blood pressure. It’s been a struggle the whole time he’s been here.

Leda got him after he had a very rough night and was able to calm him and work with him to obtain his cooperation in taking his medication. She was caring and warm in her treatment of him, with a fantastic bedside manner to him and us. She continued to show genuine concern for his health and care throughout her time with him, regardless of how difficult he was. I continually watched her treat her other patients the same way and help other staff all over the ward. When my father, who had refused dinner, said he was hungry toward the end of her shift, she stayed late to help feed him. Something she definitely didn’t have to do. Leda has been working with a student over the weekend, and on her day 2 with him, he refused food. He had difficulty with evacuating waste, and Leda worked.

Eventually, after dinner had been with him for some time, Leda directed the student to try to feed him again, and when he took a bite and expressed his hunger, they scrambled to warm him the rest of his dinner to get him to take his meds, treating the matter as urgent as the most critical care item since that was the only way to get him to take his meds.

She is constantly trying to find ways to improve his situation while helping and teaching everyone on the floor. She again stayed past the end of her shift last night and assisted in helping get him to take medication. She truly cares about her patients and the unit as a whole. She is energetic and brings a great attitude to her job and unit.

She is exactly the kind of nurse we hoped to have every shift, and I have yet to quite see her as equal in all the times I’ve been here with my children and other family members.