Susannah Wong is one of those unsung heroes who always goes above and beyond the call of duty for the sake and well-being of any patient. She is truly one of the most selfless and dedicated health care professionals with whom I have been privileged to work throughout my entire medical career.

Susannah Wong demonstrates a fierce work ethic and devotion to the welfare of others and the efficiency of any care team. Tremendously resourceful, deeply thoughtful, and impressively sharp, Ms. Wong is absolutely the one I want by my side whenever I am called to transport a critically ill child. I can say with all honesty that she has played an instrumental role in saving the patient's life on multiple calls. I will especially always remember her essential contribution in resuscitating a teenage boy in fulminant septic shock as he lay naked and dying on a CT machine at the referring facility. Even in the face of overwhelming life-and-death crisis, Ms. Wong displays exquisite calm, clarity of judgment and remarkable ability - without hesitation, she takes decisive action and sets the entire tone for a strikingly expedient and expertly managed response of the CHOC Transport team.

I don't think that the practice of transport nursing is given nearly the degree of respect and appreciation that it deserves. It requires the application of the nursing process in dynamic environments to a diverse population of patients with a wide spectrum of critical illnesses and injuries. The transport nurse must be prepared to respond and intervene to a number of patient conditions and often unexpected situations. With Susannah Wong on the team, it is guaranteed that the patient will receive a level of care exceeding the level received at the referring and receiving facilities. She reliably and efficiently delivers accurate assessment, analysis, diagnosis, planning, implementation of interventions, evaluation of response, and management of highly technical equipment in preparation for and during transport. Furthermore, Ms. Wong possesses skill and judgment that often extend beyond the typical nursing qualifications and could be entrusted with patient care without the direct supervision of a physician.

Not only does Susannah Wong exemplify the highest fund of knowledge, skills and competencies, but perhaps most impressive is that the delivery of this premier patient care is motivated by a genuine compassion and heart for her patients. Ms. Wong takes a holistic, humanistic approach to every ill child and demonstrates excellent bedside manner. Parents of patients remember Ms. Wong with heartfelt gratitude and credit her for playing an important role in the lives of their children.

On more than one occasion, Susannah Wong has even volunteered her services simply for the sake of a critically ill patient. For example, on the busiest call night in my personal history at CHOC, the NICU received two back-to-back requests to transfer serious time-sensitive cases of perinatal asphyxia. Despite the completion of her shift, Ms. Wong attended and assisted me on both of these transports because she knew that her skill and efficiency would make the difference in saving these babies' lives. Ms. Wong's consistent demonstration of self-sacrifice and commitment to the sanctity of human life is an inspiration for all to strive to do the same.

I truly believe that Susannah Wong is a tremendous asset not only to CHOC's Emergency Transport Services but to the entire hospital. Whenever intravenous access proves difficult, I can guarantee that most nurses on any floor instinctively know to call the Transport Service, in hopes that Ms. Wong might be working that night. Again, on more than one occasion, I have encountered Ms. Wong assisting a bedside nurse - in the NICU, in the CVICU, on the floor, and in the ER. Often these good deeds remain "behind-the-scenes" because they are never done for any type of recognition. Susannah Wong is simply the type of professional and human being who will not hesitate when a child is in need.

For her contributions of exceptional patient and family care and for her tireless, selfless dedication to the entire hospital, I wholeheartedly nominate Ms. Susannah Wong, one of CHOC Children's Hospital's unsung heroes.