Colleen received a difficult assignment in which her patient faced the possibility of losing their arm. She was everything a great nurse is for that patient (kind, caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable). But what set Colleen apart in this situation was how she advocated for the patient. Despite the prognosis given to the patient this nurse continued to exude hope and support for the patient and family. While caring for the patient, Colleen found a faint pulse on the patient's arm! Because of this development, she was able to collaborate with the physician and discuss keeping the arm attached to the patient. It is unknown if a pulse would have been found if not for this nurse's persistence and her being an advocate for her patient. Because of this, the patient found the confidence to seek out a specialist surgeon, and get the chance to save the arm!
She showed all of the qualities of an exceptional nurse that is truly a great asset to our hospital. She deserves to be recognized for the phenomenal work she did for this patient. The family was also very grateful for having this nurse. They ranted and raved about how great she was not only to the patient but the family as well. I always am impressed when family members come up to other staff to talk about how great their nurse was!