We want to formally recognize what a big difference he makes to our team and especially to our patients. Nick is not only an excellent nurse in his clinical knowledge and practice, but he also is constantly putting himself in the patients’ shoes and trying to give them the best possible experience.

Many of our patients undergo procedures in IR for a multitude of reasons, such as drains, IV access, and paracentesis procedures. Nick gets to know these patients and is always trying to make their days a little easier- he figures out how to fit patients into the schedule for same-day drain checks if there is concern for the drain during clinic, so the patients do not have to come back an extra day. He also schedules procedures to coincide with other treatments/labs so the patient has one less trip to the hospital. To patients who are already coming in and out of clinic or treatments frequently, clustering their care saves them time that they can have back in their normal lives, which makes a big difference to them.

There are many times Nick has gone above and beyond for patients and their families. One example of this is when a patient from our clinic needed an urgent MRI with sedation as well a blood transfusion. This patient has special needs and her parents have a long commute to Yale. Nick recognized all of this and advocated for the patient to receive her transfusion in the holding area of MRI rather than need to go to a clinic. The patient’s parents were so appreciative of this, it allowed them to get her home sooner and with fewer stressors to their day.