Maria Lynes, RN, BSN

Maria cared for my mother right through her last moments. My family and I had plenty of conversations with Maria and observed the care she provided to our mom. It was extraordinary. She and her team did everything possible to ensure my mother was treated with dignity, discussed everything that was happening with the family, and did her very, very best to interpret my mom's wishes even when she was unable to speak. She stopped in to see my brother and me while we were grieving at my mom's side in the hospital room the morning she passed. When I looked up, I noticed Maria had tears in her eyes. To me, this encapsulated the compassion and care she had for my mom and how she took it to heart as if it were her own family. I have no idea how she does this every day, but I thank God my mom spent her final days with a nurse that cared like Maria. You can teach nursing; you can't teach the kind of compassion and exemplary bedside manner demonstrated by Maria.