Tara is kind, loving, and compassionate, and her empathy is beyond words. We would like to share with you just one of the stories to show how extraordinary of a nurse Tara is. This week in PACU, Tara had a teenage patient, through her interaction with the patient and mother discovered they were currently living out of their car. The mom, daughter, and son (who was Tara's patient), were fleeing a domestic abuse situation. At the time of surgery, they still had not found shelter. They were new to the area and the mom was still waiting to receive her first paycheck at her new job.

Tara was outwardly upset over this heart-wrenching situation. You could tell it struck her heart. She spoke with the physician to have the patient admitted overnight so he would not have to recover from surgery in the backseat of their car. The following day, Tara reached out to the child's school social worker to see what they could do to help. She also contacted a local church to find possible resources for this family. The church put her in contact with a domestic violence shelter, and she shared this information with the school social worker. She told us "It just breaks my heart that they may be spending Easter in their car."

Tara came in on her day off to give the mom the most incredible note that gave the mom support and a list of resources. The mom opened it after she left and called Tara that night with thanks and told her she felt loved, supported, and it gave her hope. She mentioned that she had just settled into some temporary housing that gave them a new start. This one intervention made the world of difference, just as she does every single day. We are so proud to call her our coworker and love her for her heart and all she does. She is REMARKABLE!!