Lia Thao was nominated for her attentive compassion in caring for a patient who suffered a painful miscarriage in the OB ED. The patient was admitted to the OB ED after suffering from intense abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting in the 21st week of pregnancy. After seeing the crib in the room, the patient knew something was very wrong with her baby.
"I had a fever that would not break and extremely low blood pressure - all while having contractions," the patient wrote. "Unfortunately, I had to deliver my baby girl. The whole night was excruciating agony, but Lia helped me through."
Lia provided constant care for the patient, recognizing the moment something seemed wrong and contacting doctors and the ICU team when necessary. She also made sure to care for the patient's mental and spiritual needs.
"She let me hold my baby girl and get her baptized so my family's souls could be at peace about what had happened," the patient wrote.
"I will forever be grateful for the compassion she showed me while I was going through the worst possible tragedy anyone could face," the patient wrote. "It's nurses like her that let me know that God does put angels on Earth."