Lauren was our nurse in the ED on quite possibly the worst day of her patient's life. My cousin was flown in to the emergency department from an MVA that killed his stepfather and his 2-year-old sister. He was the sole survivor and was by himself in the trauma bay until I was able to get there. Nobody in our family knew what condition he was in, or if he was even alive. Nobody in the ED knew who he was. When I was able to make it downstairs, Lauren met me with a calming presence, and I was able to watch her care for him like she would her own family member.
As a nurse from our own CVICU, I am not normally on the flip side of patient care. Lauren kept me updated on everything, allowed me to stay right beside him to provide a familiar face, and went above and beyond to make sure we were all taken care of. She was professional and so compassionate. During our darkest moment, Lauren was a little beacon of light I could trust to provide care, love, and hope for our entire family. She never once made me feel like I was in her way, while I probably was.
Thankfully, he was able to go home the next day and is physically recovering well. While it will take time to recover emotionally, I am forever thankful for Lauren's amazing care that day and I know my family is as well.