I wanted to let you know about an extraordinary nurse I get to call my coworker and as well as my co-chairs in our units shared leadership council and her name is Melissa Edwards. I have had the pleasure of working alongside Melissa for over 2 years as a patient care tech. She is one of those people that when you know she's working you'll have a great shift no matter what gets thrown your way. I cannot imagine someone worthier of this award.
Melissa's bedside manner is one of the best I have ever seen, always keeping patient privacy and maintaining dignity as a priority. She not only takes care of her patients but also concerned family members, always doing her absolute best to make everyone at ease and takes her time educating them on the situations. She is an advocate for her patients, making sure that their needs are being met; from making sure they have the proper meal to making sure their pain is well controlled to the best of her abilities. She can go from a patient screaming at her in one room and show up with a calm compassionate attitude in the next room. I have seen a patient hit the call light every 5 min in a 12-hour shift and every time she went in with the same calm and collected attitude that not everyone would have.
Melissa is a very valuable resource to our unit; she is flexible, reliable, dedicated and well I can just go on but don't want to write a 100-page book. She is willing to help a fellow nurse pass out medications when a fellow nurse is dealing with an emergency so that other patients are not left waiting. She will help a tech give a bed bath to a patient that is not her own. Her knowledge and approachable personality have made her a resource for everyone she works with. I know many nurses, not only new grads but seasoned nurses, that come to her for advice.
Melissa's commitment to patient care exceeds her weekly shifts. She is part of several committees in our hospital that are designed to make our patients' hospital experience safer, more productive, and comfortable. Melissa not only focuses on patent care but communication and helping the flow of our unit in helping in any way she can. She is currently helping educate and reviewing Heparin drips with nurses to lower mistakes and increase safety.
Melissa is the nurse many people look up to and admire. She makes a difference in patients' lives as well as in her fellow co-workers. I would feel safe and in the best hands if I was ever her patient. She is so humble that she expects nothing and gives everything. She is the prime example of what a great nurse entails.