When I first met Patricia Hannam (Patti) she scared me to death. I thought she was a no nonsense, tells you like it is nurse, and didn’t have a caring bone in her body. It wasn’t long until I learned how wrong I was, and I started looking up to her. She has become a great co-worker, friend, teacher, and mentor. She is always there to answer questions and lend a hand no matter how small a task. She never hesitates to jump in and always knows exactly what the patient needs. She will go out of her way to make sure that you are taking care of yourself, and she will do whatever she can to help put a smile on your face and make you laugh. She is a shining light in dark times in the ICU, and I always look forward to seeing and working with her. 

There are countless things I could write and tell about, but what always stands out to me is her ability to always know how to comfort and provide the exact support to a grieving family who has just suffered a loss or is in the process of it. Time and time again, she has come to my aid in assisting with patients' loved ones. 

One shift, later in the afternoon, I responded to a rapid response on the medical surgical unit to find a male suffering from respiratory distress and was informed he had just experienced seizure-like activity. He continued to have worsening respiratory distress, resulting in intubation right in front of his young adult daughter. He was transported to the Intensive Care Unit. Myself and the other staff worked to try and stabilize him, but within the hour he went into cardiac arrest. Upon calling the code, the family, including the adult daughter, came running into the room and started screaming and crying hysterically. When the nursing supervisor tried to escort the family out of the room, they became aggressive and a code white had to be called for everyone’s safety. The daughter and her aunt calmed down and were able to stay in the room, while the rest of the family was taken to the nurses station by security.  A little while later, the daughter made the tough decision to end all attempts to revive her father. After the doctor called time of death, none of us knew what to say, except Patti. She walked over to the daughter, wrapped her arms around her, and just held her as she and the rest of the family cried. She knew that nothing was going to change the hurt that she was feeling, and we had learned during the code that her mother had died a few months prior. Patti stayed with the family and helped them grieve this sudden loss. 

Recently, we had a husband who was having difficulty with his wife being hospitalized, vented, and showing little to no progress. The doctors had been in and out of the room talking to the husband day after day and calling him when he was not there with nothing but bad news. It eventually got to the point where he felt like he couldn’t just spend time with her because everyone kept telling him to “end her life,” and he didn’t want to visit anymore. This was very difficult for him as they had been together since he was 16, and the last few years of their 60-year marriage, he has devoted his life to her, her health, and her needs. He didn’t know how or what to do without her. One day, I walked out of a patient's room when the nursing assistant informed me that I was needed in this room. Upon entering the room, I could tell that the husband was in visual distress, hyperventilating, and sweating profusely.  Luckily, Patti was already in the room trying to calm him down and ripping his isolation gear off of him before assisting him to a chair. We managed to get him something to eat and drink, and we allowed him to tell us stories about the love of his life and their time together. Patti is my shining light as I struggle with grieving families and how to help them accept and cope. Patti is always right there to step in and lead by example. I believe that this day and Patti’s words of encouragement and support helped him to make the decision for her to go to hospice, allowing him to spend the last few days by her side with his family, allowing her to pass peacefully and comfortably. 
    
Patti is an amazing nurse and someone who I am honored to have met and worked with. She has taught me so much over such a short time, and I always look forward to learning more from her in a professional and personal manner. She challenges and pushes me to become a better nurse and person.