Lauren exemplifies compassion and leads by example in everything she does. Lauren has frequently cared for a long-stay patient we have had on R2 for the last month; nearly every shift she is scheduled, she is present. I sat down with this patient and asked him how his stay on R2 has been. The first thing he said was, “Lauren has made my stay here bearable.”

The patient went on to say, “Lauren has helped me through difficult situations. I would like to sincerely thank her for all her assistance. Lauren is a tremendous benefit to Maine Medical Center. I used to not be able to walk to the bathroom without taking a break. Lauren has taken time out of her busy day to walk with me 4 times per shift to help build up my strength. She believes in me.”

Lauren prioritizes mobility in every patient she cares for, this is often a difficult task on R2 as a majority of our patients have suffered significant deficits post stroke. Every shift I work with Lauren, I see her in her patients' rooms, getting 4-5 patients out of bed before their medication passes, prioritizing mobility and setting goals with them to move one step closer to getting home. Lauren’s positive energy and hard work are contagious.