When I began working with Lisa Walters, I immediately knew she was an amazing nurse. She is always able to bring a smile to others faces, regardless of circumstance. She always goes above and beyond for her patients as well as her coworkers. It seems to be a natural ability of hers to make any sad, uncomfortable, or awkward situation immediately better with her insane humor and her overwhelming compassion for difficult situations. However, I would like to highlight a certain role Lisa has taken on in the past few months.

She recently met a younger patient who came in for surgery and has begun taking on a major role in his life. This particular patient has experienced major hardships throughout his life, with a limited support system. During one of his inpatient stays, Lisa learned he was riding his bike to dialysis in the early morning hours and offered to begin giving him rides, “because she had to come to work anyways”. However, anyone who knows Lisa knows that was not why. She has even taken him on days she was not scheduled to work, and got up anyways and got him there, again in those early morning hours. During one of his more recent stays, I learned from him about how Lisa had been helping him. And again, he was not hard to love, which is why I’m sure they both get along so well, since they both have the most positive attitudes even when faced with hardships. However, this stay did not give good news, and Lisa stepped up more than ever. She has been able to bring such a positive attitude into his when the odds have not seemed to favor him. She has opened up her home and had him for dinner to meet her family. She even was able to help get a PS5, and we all know how hard/expensive those are.

Lisa’s plate is already full, trying to navigate her own son’s challenges, but she has still been able to help him during a very tough period. Lisa goes far above what we have to do as nurses and her ability to bring a smile to someone’s face during an uncomfortable time is truly a godsend. She is very humble and would not bring attention to herself in this way, but I believe the good needs to be told. Her actions drive you to be a better person yourself. She makes an impact on everyone lives, but the impact she has made on this young man’s life is truly amazing.