Karen is an amazing nurse dedicated to improving our unit and the care of our patients. She is the first to volunteer to come in when we are short. She gladly picked up several of my shifts when a family member passed away earlier this year, with no expectation of the favor being returned. She never complains about her assignment and is willing to take on whatever is needed to help the team for that day.

She precepts new hires and students, and she holds them to the same high standards she expects from herself. She attends committee meetings and staff meetings even if she is working. I once saw her attempting to discharge a patient who was a victim of domestic violence. She escalated to me as the charge that she needed a little more time to make sure that the patient received resources from our Case Management department. The patient needed resources for a safe place to stay and transportation.

She did this because she cares about her patients beyond the treatments we perform in the hospital. She made sure that a patient who had physical and emotional trauma received the holistic care we should all want for our loved ones. She somehow manages to balance being an amazing nurse with being a great mother and wife to her family. She is truly an asset to our organization and the profession of nursing.