Mai Tran
October 2025
Mai
Tran
,
RN
ICU
UPH St. Luke’s – Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City
,
IA
United States
This incredible turnaround was largely due to Mai’s patience, positivity, and unwavering advocacy.
Mai deserves recognition for the exceptional care she provides to our patients in the ICU on a daily basis. Mai always works with a positive attitude and a smile on her face. I honestly cannot think of a single time I have heard her complain.
She not only takes excellent care of her own patients but is always willing to lend a helping hand to others. She views the unit as a shared responsibility and is ready to assist wherever she is needed.
There is one particular patient scenario that stands out as an example of Mai’s extraordinary care and compassion. We had a patient who remained in the ICU for an extended period of time. He had been intubated and extubated three times due to aggressive behaviors, and we struggled to find the right balance of medications to support his mental health. This patient required significant one-on-one attention and meticulous care while weaning down his psychiatric medications.
Mai cared for this patient during his last three days in the ICU before he was medically ready to transition to the behavioral unit. She spent extensive time at his bedside and became a powerful advocate for him, ensuring he received the minimal necessary doses of scheduled and as-needed antipsychotics. She coordinated constantly with the psychiatric, ICU, and hospitalist teams to ensure he received the most appropriate care.
When the patient was strong enough to begin swallowing, Mai made sure his IV medications were transitioned to oral. She also spent hours pushing him around the ICU in a cardiac chair to give him a change of scenery and help reduce ICU delirium. She ensured he was up several times a day, encouraged him to eat finger foods to rebuild fine and gross motor skills, and helped him regain his independence.
By day three with Mai, this patient’s transformation was remarkable. He went from being barely awake, with incomprehensible speech, on tube feedings, and often in restraints, to walking the unit with standby assistance, feeding himself full meals, communicating clearly, and even giving hugs and expressing gratitude to the staff.
This incredible turnaround was largely due to Mai’s patience, positivity, and unwavering advocacy. The ICU is truly lucky to have nurses like Mai on the team.
Thank you, Mai, for your exceptional care, compassion, and dedication.
She not only takes excellent care of her own patients but is always willing to lend a helping hand to others. She views the unit as a shared responsibility and is ready to assist wherever she is needed.
There is one particular patient scenario that stands out as an example of Mai’s extraordinary care and compassion. We had a patient who remained in the ICU for an extended period of time. He had been intubated and extubated three times due to aggressive behaviors, and we struggled to find the right balance of medications to support his mental health. This patient required significant one-on-one attention and meticulous care while weaning down his psychiatric medications.
Mai cared for this patient during his last three days in the ICU before he was medically ready to transition to the behavioral unit. She spent extensive time at his bedside and became a powerful advocate for him, ensuring he received the minimal necessary doses of scheduled and as-needed antipsychotics. She coordinated constantly with the psychiatric, ICU, and hospitalist teams to ensure he received the most appropriate care.
When the patient was strong enough to begin swallowing, Mai made sure his IV medications were transitioned to oral. She also spent hours pushing him around the ICU in a cardiac chair to give him a change of scenery and help reduce ICU delirium. She ensured he was up several times a day, encouraged him to eat finger foods to rebuild fine and gross motor skills, and helped him regain his independence.
By day three with Mai, this patient’s transformation was remarkable. He went from being barely awake, with incomprehensible speech, on tube feedings, and often in restraints, to walking the unit with standby assistance, feeding himself full meals, communicating clearly, and even giving hugs and expressing gratitude to the staff.
This incredible turnaround was largely due to Mai’s patience, positivity, and unwavering advocacy. The ICU is truly lucky to have nurses like Mai on the team.
Thank you, Mai, for your exceptional care, compassion, and dedication.