Nichole is such a compassionate person, not only to her patients, but she is there for their families and for her co-workers. Because of this compassion, she is aware of the 'whole' patient. Not just what is being presented but she cares about including the patient to have a voice for his/her care, treatment and concerns that they may have after leaving the hospital.
Nichole was caring for a patient who was recovering from a recent heart attack. As she was preparing the patient to be discharged from the hospital, Nichole felt that the patient was not quite ready to go home. She sought out and approached both the patient's cardiologist and the attending physician, she explained the patient's situation and her concern about the patient's lack of readiness to be discharged. The physicians ultimately agreed with Nichole's concern and delayed discharging the patient. This allowed the patient additional time to heal and prepare to leave the inpatient setting.
That same day, while Nichole was on a break, she assisted a visitor who indicated they had a medical issue which needed to be taken care of immediately. The visitor was uncertain which level of service would be most appropriate. Nichole kindly responded to their concerns and even escorted them to the Emergency Department.
These specific moments in Nichole's life are just two of the many instances in which she has shown such great caring and understanding for her patients. She is a nurse because she is committed to helping others and is rewarded when she leaves to go home at night and her patients tell her how much they appreciate all that she has done for them.