Erika comes to work each and every day with such positive energy. She is always smiling and treats absolutely everyone she encounters with such dignity and respect. Today she has impressed me even more than she does on a typical day.
She is caring for a trauma patient who has been declared brain dead and will be going to the OR, to be an organ donor. Erika has spent several days caring for this young lady with such care and compassion. She also is caring for this family with the same level of care and compassion. She has taken the time to get to know each of them and the young lady she is caring for by listening to all of the family's stories about the kind of girl she is. She found out that basketball was a huge passion of hers, and her father was her basketball coach. She found out that this young lady was in her school musical of "Horton Hears a Who".
Erika came to work today with a basketball and a copy of "Horton Hears a Who". She also brought in paints from home. Today, before this young lady goes to the operating room to give her last gift to others, Erika is going to give a few parting gifts to her family. She is going to paint her hand print on a basketball for her favorite coach, Dad, and she will also paint her handprints on the inside cover of that book for her family.
Erika went shopping for her supplies after a very emotional and tiring day of caring for this family so she would have everything she would need the next day. The gifts she will be giving to this family will most likely be some of the most treasured items they will ever receive.
This is an example of the exceptional care that Erika gives to her patients and families.