Compassion is not a skill you can learn from your Bio 101 or your clinicals. It's a skill that requires you to leave behind the misconceptions of alcoholism, drug abuse, criminal behavior, rude family members, and any bad interactions. Paige Mills consistently exhibits this skill and compassion in almost every nursing decision she makes. Being able to show a compassionate side to her patients in the ICU is one of Paige's most amazing parts. She is also able to go above and beyond for her patients, regardless of how medically demanding they may be. This ability to be compassionate was at the forefront of her time with a high-acuity ICU patient. The said patient was on CRRT, had been a patient in our unit for a long time, and had a family member who had bad interactions with certain nurses. A highly acute patient on top of everything. Nevertheless, Paige was able to look beyond all of that and offer said patient what we call a “Paige Spa Day”.

A Paige spa day is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being her aide. These days, she will make it her goal to give her patient a day to be pampered. With her own resources, Paige will provide patients with a hair wash, shave, full-body wash, lotion, all while playing spa music and using her oil diffuser. On this particular day, the patient had had a rough night, declining severely in their condition. When the day shift came in, the first task Paige assigned during the nurse-aid report was to have a “Spa Day” for the day.

When it came time to give the bath to this patient, it was as if we were transported to a spa in downtown Columbus. In our unit, we have a bucket full of actual shampoo, conditioner, hair mask, and other products. Paige was able to coordinate with the patient's spouse and start playing their favorite music. She had brought her oil diffuser and, with management's permission, had it placed outside the room to fill the air with the scent of lavender. In the 45 minutes it took to pamper the patient, it was an amazing transformation to see the patient become more awake and enjoy being taken care of. This time also allowed for clearer communication between the spouse and nursing staff. It was a time that allowed Paige's compassion for the ordeal to shine through.

This time also allowed for so much more than just the patient looking and smelling nice; it was a time for them to ask questions, make jokes, and feel less like an ICU patient and more like a person. It allowed their spouse to join us in the process of their care; they cut and filed their nails, for example. What could be seen as a silly “Spa Day” was one that allowed for a time away from the confines of our hospital rooms. This example of the spa day is not the only one that Paige has done. In any scenario where she can go above and beyond to help her patients feel better, she will do so. Not once since I started working as a UCA on the unit has Paige given anything but her 110% to her patients. Compassion is the reason Paige has become one of the most beloved nurses by families and staff alike.