Karen Nielsen, RN, MSN

When COVID 19 started and our clinic was selected as a drive-up collection site, Karen immediately volunteered to help as a collector. She wanted to do her part to help our patients. She is not only a collector or a swabber, but also a very caring counselor. I have witnessed her kindness with EACH patient, addressing their fears over the procedure and calmly explaining step-by-step. One of the patients commented that Karen's calm helped the patient remain calm to be swabbed. She also counseled extensively on a telehealth visit about protecting the contacts the patient is close to.

Karen patiently answers questions from the patients and is confident in her advice. She has been swabbing/collecting/counseling since March of 2020. She has missed only 2 days. She has swabbed thousands of patients at this time. Karen is out there in the cold and the rain, in the hot heat, always patient and positive for the patients.

Karen has been a true Duke Hero with her kindness, compassion, and bravery. She is a role model to all nurses, especially in the outpatient setting, and to all her patients and colleagues.