My mother was brought to Randolph Hospital by ambulance after she had fallen and broken her hip. When I realized her nurse was a male, I cringed as she has been through some horrific domestic violence in her life, and she tends to be fearful of men; I did not advise Randy Williams of this as it was not my story to tell. I was quite surprised at how she responded to him. He was so calm and patient with her. She was in terrible pain, and she was scared, not of Randy but of the potential outcome. How he presented himself as he stepped into the room each time, speaking calmly and matter-of-factly, was almost magical. He explained exactly why he had come in and was accommodating to her needs. She looked to him for answers and reassurance. He did everything he could to make her feel safe and involved in her treatment. He never said to her that a broken hip was something that a lot of elderly people don’t bounce back from. Instead, he encouraged her to hang in there and said he was confident in the orthopedic surgeons and PT. He spoke of his own experience in the ER with hip fractures and later saw a patient in the grocery store doing well. She needed that, and she needed him. The level of care she received from Randy was phenomenal.

***

Randy was exceptional in the care of my 88-year-old grandmother when she presented with stroke-like symptoms. He was caring and compassionate toward both her and my 92-year-old grandfather. Randy was extremely proactive and thorough in their care. He anticipated needs, asked questions, and followed up for clarification as needed. His communication skills were excellent, and they ensured everyone had information expeditiously. Her care was handled cohesively and comprehensively while in the ER. Randy showed genuine interest in the well-being of my grandmother. He was patient and kind while my grandmother asked him the same questions repeatedly due to her impaired cognition. He was everything that you would want your nurse to be.