Christine had taken care of one of my patients, a profoundly psychotic and paranoid young lady who required a procedure (ECT) to remit her psychosis. On the morning of her procedure, our patient was so profoundly paranoid of staff in the PACU that she declined to proceed. Christine often forms great working alliances with some of our illest and most psychotic patients. She has a wonderful bedside manner and is kind and compassionate. She had established trust and a great therapeutic relationship with our mutual patient and volunteered to come in the next AM to help facilitate treatment. This was NOT HER SHIFT but she volunteered, nonetheless. She came early AM, prepared the patient, comforted her, at one point gave her a temple massage as she was waiting for the anesthesiology team and becoming anxious.
All of the PACU staff marveled at how well the patient was doing under Christine's care. Our patient received a lifesaving treatment and became well and this would not have been possible without Christine's dedication and incredible nursing skills.
I have rarely if ever, worked with a nurse as dedicated, humble, and compassionate as Christine.