Recently, we had a 35-year-old mother of 3 admitted with end-stage lung cancer. Francine cared for this patient and her family every shift, and it was an emotional stress as she became close with the patient. I witnessed her many times holding her hand as the patient struggled to breathe on the Bipap. Francine spent hours at her bedside, washing her hair, rubbing her back, and doing anything she could do to ease her anxiety. The patient’s family was struggling each day as they knew she would never go home.

Francine showed exemplary nursing practice and empathy as they navigated the end-of-life process. The patient passed away, and she was there, giving comfort to them all. While we see a lot of death, it is never easy, but she showed strength and compassion each day and never faltered in her care. Any family at CMC would be lucky to have her as their nurse. In addition to these gestures of compassion, dedication, and commitment to delivering high-quality care during a most difficult time, Francine took the time to make hand prints, provide an EKG strip in a tube, as well as a strand of her hair, for the family to have as a keepsake. There are no words to describe how much of an impact she made not only on the patient but the family. She truly went above and beyond.