Gretchen is an outstanding nurse on 7SE, which is saying a lot since there are so many outstanding nurses on the unit! She is a caring, intelligent, patient nurse who has an excellent rapport with patients, families, and colleagues. Gretchen is a wonderful preceptor to new nurses who always in an encouraging way helps new nurses develop their own critical thinking. She remains calm in emergency situations and works cheerfully and compassionately with those patients who might be deemed “challenging”. She frequently receives kudos from previous patients via thank you notes to the floor, post-discharge surveys, and from colleagues. She has the respect of the doctors, therapists, social workers and everyone who comes in contact with her. She is able to advocate well for patients and help navigate through complex situations that require interdisciplinary cooperation. I always feel good going into a shift when Gretchen is the charge nurse because I know she will happily answer questions, provide help on busy days, respond appropriately to emergencies, and take the initiative to go around several times during the shift to ask if everyone is doing okay.

In nursing school, one of my professors said, “Find nurses you work with whose practice you admire and try to emulate them.” Gretchen is definitely one of the nurses after whom I want to model my own nursing practice. Her hard work, patience and dedication deserves to be recognized.