I nominate Gnanasheela Rajesekaran (Sheela) from the OB/GYNE ward. I was hospitalized for viral bronchitis and had difficulty breathing and a nasty, deep cough that caused terrible bronchospasm. I was admitted to OB/GYNE ward as an “off service” patient.
At the time Sheela was assigned to care for me it was my second night in the hospital and I had not slept much at all for several nights due to the coughing and bronchospasm. I was exhausted and anxious. Sheela was concerned about the continuous coughing and my lack of rest. When I was coughing, she would rub my back to relax me. When I continued to have problems sleeping because of the light coming through the glass window in the entrance to the room, she put a sheet over the window to block the light.
She suggested that I should drink lemon and ginger tea to help with sleep and reduce the coughing. Early in the evening she made me a cup of lemon & ginger tea from her own supply, and again made another cup for me after she finished her shift in the morning (which meant she left work very late). She left her container of ginger tea for me, and passed this on to the day nurse so I could have this special tea during the day. Later in the day I was transferred to another nursing unit. That night, Sheela came to see me at around 11pm with a large cup of lemon tea she made for me, even though I was no longer her patient on her unit. As I was almost sleeping, she quietly left the tea at my bedside so she did not disturb me.
Through these very simple caring actions, I felt her concern and special touch to go the extra mile to make me feel relaxed and cared for.