Julia Martinez, BSN, RN

7M has an oncology patient who has been on the unit for more than 30 days, unable to be discharged due to her illness and needing another round of chemo treatment. The patient is from out of town and her husband stayed in the hotel close by to be with the patient. They both do not have any family members nearby to visit them. Julia thought of doing something to cheer up the patient. This nurse bought a card and balloons (with their own money), asked other staff members to sign the card, and gathered them to give the items to the patient. The patient was very surprised and in tears of joy. She appreciated the care and thoughtfulness of the staff and complimented how wonderful the care was that she received every single day. The patient stated she felt loved and the fact that staff made it a point to get something to cheer her up during her most challenging times, made her feel she was treated like family. She did an extraordinary effort to show how she cares for her patients, not just providing excellent patient care (and treatments as ordered), but also caring for the patient's emotional wellbeing. Julia is such an asset to the entire nursing team.