Alyssa Cutter is extraordinary in her therapeutic encounters with patients, families, and colleagues. She often cares for the most difficult acute and critical care patients on 8NE. She cared for a patient with multiple challenging psychosocial and physiologic aspects in the ICU. She was able to effectively incorporate the patient and family's preferences and requests while still carrying out the goals made by the team.

Alyssa does a beautiful job of introducing the concept of palliative care, especially with ICU patients and families who are in distress. She helps facilitate addressing the plan of care in a timely manner, thereby enabling patients and their families to gently transition through any change in their goals.

When I was a new nurse to the unit, there was one day in the ICU that was very chaotic and overwhelming for me. Alyssa took almost an hour to assist me with my patient care and to introduce me to the preferences and individual focus of each member of the Onc/BMT ICU team. I was able to better tailor my approach in communicating and interacting with ICU team. From that point on, I was able to feel a part of the team and function in an effective manner. Alyssa's clinical reasoning, critical thinking, and compassion are unsurpassed.