Gabe consistently exemplifies the kindness, compassion and level of clinical expertise that all managers dream staff nurses possess. He incorporates all of those attributes seamlessly into his practice.
A particularly complex and distressed veteran diagnosed with advancing and invasive disease was emotionally and spiritually suffering. The veteran was most difficult, if not impossible to console.
Gabe proactively contacted the chaplain and helped to arrange the Veteran's baptism. He gathered towels, placed them appropriately for a frail, bedridden Veteran, combed the Vet's hair and held hands with the Vet during the ceremony. He repeated the hair combing afterwards as well. Part of the baptismal ceremony included the singing of hymns and Gabe held the hymnal for the Vet. The certificate of baptism was displayed in the Vet's room.
What was particularly striking to me was Gabe's intuitive sense and his calm, steady process after recognizing distress. He never overstepped his boundaries. A very, very emotional situation was skillfully recognized, addressed and orchestrated by this fine Hospice nurse!