My husband receives care hours from home, and he is fearful and anxious. During this visit, he was the patient for a new procedure which had a lot of unknowns. On his 3rd night of admission, we were both frustrated; he felt disrespected and neglected. Things were not going well when Rachel entered and reviewed the care plan with us at the start of her shift. What she did not know, is that she walked into a problem. My husband was receiving medications for days I did not know about, treatments were discontinued we just started 2hrs before, and I was very upset and direct.

Rachel was the first nurse to acknowledge the distress this caused me and my husband as someone who does not trust nurses. She heard both of our concerns and immediately went to clarify the plan with the providers. She helped my husband feel heard about the medications he was taking and how he was taking them. Then, it got so much better when he began quizzing staff for fun and making jokes. Rachel enthusiastically participated. She was so genuine and patient. She heard my husband when he told her how he saw his nights going, she clarified his expectations for every treatment, and she then did not stray once he was asleep. It was a little time-consuming, but she did it exactly how he asked and was on for three more nights.

For the first time, my husband didn't feel like a problem, his nurse took him back when he had questions, she answered them, she advocated for his needs with providers and other clinical staff. In turn, he allowed her to provide the necessary treatments he usually declines. She adapted quickly to his preferences, and she changed my husband's whole trajectory with her kindness, care, consistency, and professional behavior.

Rachel exemplifies the profession of nursing and family-centered, patient-forward care. She is exactly the nurse we needed, and I truly wish qualities like hers were the rule instead of the exception.