One Friday, Maureen was on her way from the parking garage to the hospital to attend a baby shower for a colleague when she witnessed a gentleman collapse at the parking kiosk. Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees beside him to assess for responsiveness. When I arrived, the first thing I noticed was her intense focus and compassion for his well being. My first thought was she was a relative or close acquaintance of the patient.
We determined he was in cardiac arrest and she immediately began compressions. Her dedication and determination were so intense, she did not slow down or stop compressions from the time she first started until help arrived with the stretcher. Even then, she jumped onto the stretcher and continued compressions throughout the ride to the emergency department. It was only after she completed the handoff that I realized she was not a family member, but rather our nurse.
Thank you, Maureen, for your tenacity, compassion, and quick response even while off duty. She epitomizes what it means to be a nurse.