Extraordinary means "very unusual or remarkable." I have been an RN for six years and have precepted several new RNs. I recently transferred units and am currently training in the ICU with Bradie Haner, RN, as my preceptor. I have worked with many nurses, but none have stood out as much as Bradie. She fits the true meaning of "extraordinary nurse." My first day in the ICU I knew I was being trained by the best of the best.

Bradie is very energetic and she has a deep understanding of the pathophysiology of the human body. If she doesn't know how something works she finds out. She is a great resource and a wealth of knowledge. Bradie asks for difficult patients so she can teach me about them, and is excited to teach and learn. I have never before met a nurse who asks for a challenging patient. If I were dying, I would request Bradie to be my nurse, because I have watched her turn two very grave situations into something like miracles. Miracle or not, she definitely played a major role in saving two lives.

The first patient was an 82-year-old woman. The doctors seemed optimistic because her "numbers were improving." Setting numbers aside, this patient looked like she was on her way out. Anyone who walked in the room could see that things did not look good. But Bradie continued to nurse this patient back to health by following the doctor's orders and utilizing her excellent nursing skills. She monitored vitals and knew the patient could not tolerate an A-Fib. Unfortunately, the patient went into A-Fib. Bradie caught it within the first few minutes of our shift. For 12 straight hours she worked nonstop titrating drips, multi-tasking, and working one-on-one with Dr. Reed. A week later the patient was sitting up in a chair, alert and awake, trying to talk while on her way out of the ICU in a wheelchair to rehab. This patient, whose family had been preparing funeral arrangements, was going to one day garden again. I'm not sure that I would be saying that if Bradie hadn't been her nurse on that particular day.

The second instance was more recent. Bradie wanted me to have good experiences, so we gave up our patients to take a "code" that was being admitted to the ICU. The patient was in the cath lab and coded. They had been doing CPR for two hours. Before the patient arrived, Bradie had everything ready to go and was very organized. We figured it would be good experience for me to learn how to do CPR, a skill I've only practiced during CPR class on dummies. When the patient and team arrived, Bradie took over and ran the code. She remained organized and everyone looked to her for direction, including the doctors. She gave her opinion on medications to the doctors and they ordered her suggested meds. After the chaos, I stopped and reflected. Bradie was amazing and I knew she needed to be recognized. Four days later we came on shift to find that this patient that had been coded for three hours was alive, and they were looking to take him off of sedation meds. We had left him the week before after more than two hours of CPR, and we returned to find him responding and following directions.

In both of these examples Bradie was extraordinary. She has excellent clinical skills and is passionate about her job. She always looks to improve her skills and shows the patients and their families respect and compassion. She knows how to talk to families during these hard times. Bradie Haner is a wonderful RN, as well as a teacher. I would appreciate your considering her as a DAISY Award nominee. She is studying hard for her Critical Care Nursing Certification. She hasn't taken the test yet, but I am certain that when she does she has the knowledge and the skills to pass with flying colors.