Lina Ortiz has been in L&D staff nurse for the last 5 years. Over the years I have observed her provide quality care to her patients no matter what her assignment is. Even with our most demanding patient's regardless of the circumstances' she always seems to find a way to portray the qualities that one would expect from professional nursing staff; that is professionalism, compassion, patience expertise and knowledge. When one compliments Ms. Ortiz on her excellent work ethic, she responds "I'm just doing my job". Her high standard of personal care has become so routine that we sometimes take for granted the good work that she does, but even she outdid herself on the night of 7/19 when she made a patient feel that she was not alone and that someone really cared.

Lina was assigned to the Recovery room on D5 Labor and Delivery. At the start of her shift she had a room full with approximately 5 patients at different stages of postpartum recovery. One patient in particular was especially high risk and she was the type of patient that nobody wanted to be assigned too. The patient had a C-section in the afternoon due to a twin preterm delivery that was complicated with the patient having preeclampsia and being morbidly obese.

The patient had been admitted the previous night, she was non-clinic and had not wanted to stay, at one point she had requested to sign AMA, but agreed to stay after a detailed conversation with our attending physician. Based on these events by the time Ms. Ortiz received the patient, she was already very frustrated/anxious (one of her babies needed to be transferred to Mount Sinai). She was in pain and continued to have uncontrolled blood pressures that had required several IV pushes of Labetalol even though she was on Magnesium sulfate. The patient required a lot of nursing and physician attention during the evening and night.

That night Lina bonded with her patient as if she was family. She took the time to listen to her patient's concerns about her babies, and about her own situation with the high blood pressure and the fact that a person of her size had a C/S. She was concerned with wound healing, about moving walking pain and taking care of preterm twins. Lina took the time several hours to address each of the patient's concerns. She had the pediatricians come and answered her questions regarding her babies. She kept the obstetricians informed of her blood pressure, so that they were constantly monitoring her B/P and medicating her as needed.

Lina did not stop all night, seeing to her every need (she works 12 hour shifts). What really impressed me just when I thought she couldn't do any more for her, Lina, at approximately 2am, she was giving her a complete bed bath. I had walked into the Recovery Room and she shouted across the room behind closed curtains to close the door that she was washing her up. The door was closed and the other patients had left. I went over and looked t see for myself and asked if she needed help, she said no, that she they were ok, so I left and as I closed the door behind me I could hear both of them talking and laughing. I realized if I had stayed and helped I would only be interfering. As a result of Lina's care, the patient became more relaxed, and stated she felt much better despite her incisional pain, and her blood pressure stabilized.

I am not sure if these words have indeed given a clear picture of understanding of Ms. Ortiz dedication, and commitment to her work and profession, but I am sure that Florence Nightingale would have been proud of the quality of bedside care that she provided that night; and that Ms. Watson would be pleased to know that we still have nurses who bring the caring back to the bedside.