My father was admitted after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was brought back a total of seven times from our home to the ER and was eventually stable enough to be taken to the ICU. Erin Anderson was the second nurse on the following day shift whom we interacted with. I was trained in the Army on multiple medical tasks and served as a Ranger, while my mother was more emotionally involved over the severity of my father's status, so our approach to requesting information and guidance between my mother and I is vastly different. I want it straight, to the point, with no kid gloves. Erin recognized that immediately.

My mother, in a much more emotional state, needed a kind soul with a warm heart, which Erin also recognized and was the soft place my mother needed to land quickly, forming a bond of trust. Erin communicated professionally and with more kindness than I ever received. Erin's ability to display compassion towards my mother while making sure I knew exactly what was going on while we were in the room together or separately was far superior to any other medical person I've encountered.

Additionally, during a mixup due to a resident's remarks and assessment of my father, Erin intervened to quickly clear up the situation. She handled my emotions with the doctors on call, acting as a mediator. This far exceeds the requirements of a typical nurse. She has leadership skills far beyond anyone I encountered. She not only managed my father's care with grace and efficiency, but she also provided calm during our darkest times. Erin is not just an example for future nurses but also for all medical professionals in bedside manner, knowledge, and compassion.