I see the care Teresa Blanton gives her patients each and every time she works. Although Teresa is a PRN Nurse, the care she gives her patients is not forgotten when she is not working. If I were to ever be admitted to the hospital I would definitely want Teresa as my Nurse. Even though she usually has five patients each night, she treats each one with so much care, kindness and patience. She never gets in a rush. I truly believe each patient probably feels they are her only patient that night! From the way she takes report, to the way she passes out meds, explaining what they are for, to turning and cleaning her patients, and taking times to talk with them. I have never heard Teresa complain, not one time. She absolutely personifies what a Nurse is. Nursing is definitely her "calling" and because she "heeded the call," the patients in her care are blessed because of it.

We had a patient that had been on our floor for over a year. This patient is wheelchair bound and doesn't get visitors often. Teresa went to the store and bought the patients a remote control car for him to play with. Being in the same room, month after month, looking at the same 4 walls could be depressing. This patient has so much fun with the car going up and down the hallway. In addition to the remote control car, she brought him a plate of food from home so he could celebrate Christmas time too. I witnessed the same patient wheel himself to the front desk and politely bring back her food containers of the other times she has brought him food. I guess she realized eating the same hospital food for over a year could be boring. Teresa also brought him some crackers from the store to snack on. 

Teresa had another patient where everyday he would holler out for crackers and ice cream. He really loved Graham crackers. Teresa went to the store again and bought the patient a big box of his very own Graham crackers to enjoy. Although this patient would be difficult at times for other staff, he would seem to comply more when Teresa was his Nurse. She has a sweet spirit and caring disposition. The patients love her and the staff does too. I am always thrilled when I see that she will be staffing the floor with us at night.