We recently had a young, Spanish speaking 17 yr. old male who needed facial surgery because of a fall he sustained...he fractured his face after it hit a rock. Unfortunately, this young man and his parents did not have insurance and the day before his surgery Thea found out from the father they were going to cancel his son's surgery because they did not have the funds to "self-pay". Being the efficient, compassionate, and caring nurse, Thea was able to make many calls and get this patient's surgery done gratis. She was not going to allow this young patient's surgery to get cancelled. It did not sit well with her that nothing could be done. In the end, the patient was able to have his surgery, correct the emotional and physical pain from his accident and was able to heal from his fall.

Thea goes above and beyond in our department. This is not just a random example...this seems to be her standard. Even though she is not at the bedside, she is always able to touch patients in a way only a caring nurse can...by listening and taking the appropriate actions, she was able to make such a difference in this young man's life.