I was admitted to the hospital for an overnight stay to flush my bladder of blood and clots. I did not bounce back as quickly as expected and spent four days in hospital. Michelle was my day nurse for three of those days. I spent more time in her care than any other health provider.

From the very beginning, I developed a deep respect for her medical knowledge. She patiently explained everything that was going on in understandable language and never talked down to me. She took the extra time to objectively explain the good results and the not-so-good results. Each day I thought "I am going home tomorrow" but my progress didn't warrant discharge. Michelle's explanations and encouragement kept me from getting discouraged. I was receiving good care and was in the right place.

While I have deep respect for her medical expertise, I am more in awe of who she is as a human being. She genuinely cares about her patient's mental and physical health, and it shows. Her compassion never waivers over arduous 12-hour shifts. I watched her training a colleague on my last day, and she was as good a teacher as she is a nurse. I have spent a considerable amount of time over the past several years helping my 93-year-old father and my 92-year-old father-in-law navigate the healthcare system. I have not encountered a more knowledgeable, capable, and compassionate nurse than Michelle!