Skill, knowledge, and talent matter in nursing. Very much so. But what matters more to a patient and their family is personality and kindness. Julie is a rare one that has it all. For our stay in the ICU, it made a huge impact on us that she was so open with us, kind to my daughter (the patient) and helpful. She truly cares.
I know Julie's been here for a long time. I recognized her from when I was in the ICU 10 years ago. I had a young family and a new baby when I came down with H1N1. The care she gave me then was amazing and I love that she's still doing this job that she was clearly born to do.
Making people feel comfortable when they feel terrible, having such an upbeat personality, it really is a gift. We have not had a bad experience with any of our nurses, but how Julie treated us was above and beyond. She connected with us in a way that matters. She is making a difference in peoples' lives every day.