I have had the pleasure of working with Sandra for over a year and on a daily basis witness her compassion for our patients. The endoscopy unit can be quite challenging and she is amazing with all patients and family members that she encounters. There is one particular patient that she truly demonstrated such empathy and grace. This young woman came into the emergency room late at night with food impaction. Sandy and I were the on-call nurses for the endoscopy unit that night and we were called in. The hospital setting can be extremely stressful and scary for patients and at times tensions run high and care can be difficult. This patient was quite anxious and so was her husband who accompanied her. Sandy allowed her husband to come into the procedure room and afforded both of them the opportunity to ask questions, which she answered in a simple manner. Before anesthesia began, her husband stepped out and the patient began to cry. Sandy immediately held the woman's hand and ensured her everything would be okay. The patient calmed down and Sandy continued to hold her hand as she went to sleep for the procedure. Sandy's gentle touch, kind demeanor, and most importantly empathy towards this patient eased her fears and anxiety. This demonstrated compassionate care, healthcare excellence, and superior service.
Sandy is an excellent nurse and coworker. She is always willing to stay later than her shift to ensure adequate nursing staff for patient's safety and satisfaction. Sandy is always professional, dependable, and a real team player and her colleagues benefit from her as much as her patients do. I feel honored to have the chance to work next to her and learn from her every day, I can only hope that one day I will be as good as her.