I was kept overnight for recovery after surgery. During the late afternoon hours, area storm warnings began. My mother and wife arrived ahead of the storm for a visit to my 2nd-floor room and said “It looks bad to the west.” The staff at RMC began quickly getting visitors and patients with our monitors wheeled out into the protective hallways and hospital generators kept the power on during the power outage. I noticed how rather calmly my 2nd shift nurse, Laurie, got her patients into the safe areas. It was clear to me she was trained and well prepared to handle the tornado warning.

We had winds and heavy rain. Tornadoes touched down south of the hospital in Manchester where buildings were damaged. The calmness of my nurse and hospital staff as well fueled a relaxed atmosphere among worried patients. Eventually, it was deemed a “hall party” for getting to know our staff, patients, and visitors. Some “wizard of Oz” type stories were shared of past tornado storms experienced by patients and visitors.

I later realized after warnings were lifted and we were safely returned to our rooms, that a storm delay of 1 ½ hours would significantly change the nursing routine and affect their “regular” work requirement getting done in a shorter period of time on their shift. I asked Laurie in the early morning hours how the storm changed her shift. She said, “it’s been busy, but I’m catching up.”

Later on before her shift ended she stopped in, asked how I was doing and we had a good visit. Laurie even had time to help me use a walker for a hallway walk to relieve discomfort and help my recovery. I admired how Laurie calmly adjusted to an unusually dangerous storm event and yet still completed her work responsibilities.