During the past 2 1/2 years of my working in the SICU, I have noticed that Teresa consistently functions at a level above and beyond her call of duty. She is proactive about patient care and does things for the patients even before the physician requests it - like getting a patient out of bed in the morning, placing peripheral IVs so that central lines can be removed, inquiring about whether a foley catheter can come out, etc.

She pays great attention to detail and her actions result in marked benefit for patients - both measurable (decreased incidence of infection the sooner foley catheters and central lines are removed) and immeasurable. Teresa's patients perceive that they are her top priority, whether it be ensuring that they have adequate pain control, making sure they get range of motion exercises every 4 hours, are turned in bed on a regular basis, get transported for a radiographic study that has been ordered, etc. She sometimes has to be encouraged to take a short break for lunch.

She is constantly cheerful, even when she has demanding patients, and is truly a wonderful example for both nurses and resident physicians, and has exemplary work ethic which must be recognized and appreciated.