Kathleen Siller, BSN, RN

I came in for hand surgery yesterday with no lack of trepidation because I am 79, am on anticoagulant, and have a congenital blood clotting disorder. So I am at high risk for bleeding, which is a source of concern. I needed FFP for the operation. The prep of the FFP, the infusion, and the surgical starting time all required close coordination and timing. Kathleen, who has super clinical skills (as this was my 5th surgery at HSS, and I know them when I see them), a vast charm, a great sense of humor, and a lovely way about her took immediate charge. She gave me and my wife total confidence that she would see to everything and then did it flawlessly over two hours. We chatted and, therefore, relaxed right away. She then kept after the blood bank to keep the FFP preparation on track. She liaised with the OR team to time everything properly. She made sure that someone went to the blood bank and carried the FFP to pre-op the minute it was ready. She started the infusion and had me ready to go to the OR at just the right moment. And when the surgery was over, she ducked into post-op twice - first to check that everything was okay and, when I was being wheeled out to go home, to say goodbye and to wish us well. HSS is a great hospital. But Kathleen stands out even against HSS's great nursing staff.