Lauren is an excellent role model for staff in the CTICU. The majority of our staff are very new nurses. Lauren consistently does an excellent job role modeling presence at the bedside, compassionately and kindly taking the time to explain all activities and procedures to the patients and families under even the most emergent of circumstances. She is also a role model for providing excellent care for patient care. Lauren is the nurse in the room always taking the extra step to make the patient more comfortable.

Lauren is that Extraordinary Nurse who significantly impacts her patients every single day, but I am thinking of a specific patient she cared for recently Mr. R. This unfortunate 80-year-old man had a cardiac procedure that he did not tolerate well and ended up in the CTICU on ECMO for hemodynamic support. Lauren had compassionately cared for this man and his family for many days, watching every detail of his care and assessment. Even the most minor detail could be something big. She developed a special bond with his elderly wife and daughter caring for him as well as with Mr. R, who by some notion, while sedated remained hemodynamically stable on ECMO with minimal sedation and was able to interact with Lauren and his family. Lauren is always so kind and caring towards her patients, explaining what is going on, offering support, answering questions and simply spending time with them being present. Lauren noticed that something seemed off with her patient. He seemed to be pointing to his belly. In reassessing the patient she assessed his GI output to be increasing and asked the physician team to further evaluate. A few labs and consults later the patient went to the OR for bowel resection, which turned out to be just happening and the patient tolerated the procedure well. As the surgeon informed this lovely elderly woman of her husband’s prognosis and the need for an additional surgery Lauren kindly and compassionately supported her, answered questions, and kept in touch with her during the surgical procedure until she was reunited with her husband again.