Kayla is a compassionate and caring nurse that I am proud to have on my team at DCH. She goes the extra mile with a smile on her face for every one of her patients.

Recently Kayla told me about a middle aged patient that was disabled and depressed and she stated that she wished you could do more; but what she said wasn't what really got to me, it was the way she said it. When Kayla made the statement she had tears in her eyes and the empathy could be heard in her voice. She really put herself in her patient's shoes and tried to understand what this lady was going through.

Since that time, I have seen and heard Kayla trying to look at our world from that patient's perspective and trying to see what it would be like to be in a wheelchair. She is advocating for our reception area to be changed so that patients in wheelchairs can see the receptionist as well as being able to sign their papers without struggling to find a surface to write on from their chair.

Kayla's compassion shows daily as she works with Dr F's patients, most of whom are elderly and walk a little slow. Kayla, who is very tall with long legs, has to slow her pace to a crawl to walk with those patients, but she does. I never see her go ahead of her patients she is always right by their side, talking and smiling with each one.

I could tell many stories about things that I see Kayla do for her patients, she is skilled in her work and she is one of the most compassionate nurses I've ever met. Kayla's compassion and care exemplify the kind of nurse that our patients, their families, and our staff recognize as an outstanding role model.