Lucas provides unlimited compassion and exceptional care to all his patients and their families every time. He is always calm and professional, making everybody around him feel at ease. He consistently goes above and beyond to care for his patients and their families, to the extent that he is a hard act to follow! He has been known to given foot rubs, back rubs and spa-worthy pampering to his patients. He recognizes that being shaved, having clean hair, brushed teeth and looking as presentable as a hospital gown allows you to be can make even the sickest patient (and their loved ones) feel better.
He has primaried some incredibly ill, long-term patients, roles that have not been easy, but he felt it was important to the families and the patients, even if we never expected them to recover. You so often hear him announce, "that patient needs a primary!" and low and behold, he signs himself up. His patients are lucky to have him.
Lucas is also an extraordinary preceptor, particularly for new graduate nurses. He is tirelessly encouraging, naturally makes new employees feel like an integral part of our team and his pep talks are legendary. His orientees build so much confidence working under his wing and then taking off on their own when he deems them ready. Watching him work with new employees is a wonderful reminder that none of us should ever forget what it is like to be new and that we all have a lot to learn.
Lucas has repeatedly cared for challenging patients with complex family and emotional needs; creating a smooth, positive bridge between the patient/family and the whole interdisciplinary team. This high level of diverse skills and empathy is rare to find in just one nurse. We cannot think of a better role model than Lucas.