Actually on multiple occasions I've witnessed Kayla provide the perfect mixture of compassion and clinical excellence at Blue Ridge Regional Hospital. In one case a patient had been admitted to the hospital through the Emergency Department. A full day later, the family was distraught because they had not connected with a physician, and they still didn't know what was wrong with their mother. It took Kayla all of about 30 seconds to acknowledge their difficulty with genuine concern, explain what treatment had occurred, and convey what the plan was for the next day. It's worth noting that this clinical situation was well above average in terms of complexity and multi-factorial in nature. The concern on their faces melted away and they were so appreciative of her obvious competence and concern that everyone started hugging each other. This episode is evidence of how Kayla operates every day, as I've seen her doing similar things on a regular basis, helping out with patients who are not hers if another nurse is tied up, or jumping in on a code blue. I could go on...Compassionate and clinically excellent, she's truly got a gift for nursing and is a great example for all of us. We are lucky to have her on our team.