Sue took a very emotionally difficult assignment that involved a 29-year-old mother with terminal cancer who was intubated, yet aware of the situation. The patient had 2 small children who visited her in the ICU frequently. Though the patient was on a ventilator she was able to communicate. The patient, her family, and the palliative team agreed to withdrawal care just a week before Christmas. The patient knew she would not survive long after being extubated.
Sue was outstanding with the patient and her family. She advocated for the doctors to explain everything in detail with the patient as she was cognitive of her surroundings. Sue also took it upon herself to go to the gift shop, bought Christmas gifts for the patient's children, and marked them from their mother, so they could have something from her this Christmas. Sue was an angel dealing with this terribly bad situation and helped ease the pain for everyone involved. Her buying those children Christmas gifts was extremely selfless and something many of us will never forget.