We have had the privilege of working closely with Laura since she started in case management. We have always known that she was a great case manager, but never really noticed how she goes above and beyond for every single patient she works with until she recently moved into our office. Laura always brings a positive attitude to work with her, and you can tell she truly cares about every patient she works with. She exemplifies what it means to be an extraordinary nurse, and we are so lucky to have her. A few particular scenarios stick out to both of us:
First scenario: Laura was working with a patient who came in for back surgery, which left her paralyzed. The patient and her family had a difficult time with this new diagnosis, but Laura was supportive from Day 1. She took extra time to talk to the patient and family to help them work through everything. She made sure to explain what would happen next, and talked them through the rehab process. She worked with the child life specialist to make sure the patient's child understood what was going on and helped the child cope with their mom's new paralysis. At some point, Laura promised that she would sing and dance when the patient discharged and she held up her end of the bargain. When the patient finally discharged to rehab, there was Laura following her out to the elevator, playing "Bye Bye Bye" by NSYNC, and singing and dancing as she followed. The patient and her husband were both smiling and laughing on their way out.
A few days later, Laura was working with another patient who was homeless and had some mental health issues. The patient was very uncomfortable in the hospital and didn't want to talk to anyone. Laura found out that he liked some sort of cards - they were a security blanket for him. So, in usual Laura fashion, she went out and bought the cards to give to the patient. She found a way to not only communicate and get through to this patient but also make his stay here at Sanford more comfortable. He had lost his bed at the homeless shelter when he came to the hospital, so Laura worked tirelessly calling all the shelters in town to make sure he had somewhere to go when he was ready for discharge. When he finally discharged, he accidentally left an empty bag at the hospital. Instead of just asking a courier to drop it off at the shelter, Laura personally brought the bag (which she had filled with snacks) to the patient at the shelter because she wanted to make sure he was doing okay after he discharged.
Recently, a friend's grandma passed away in the hospital. She texted me a few days later and asked if I work with Laura, as she was the case manager who worked with her family. My friend and her family had nothing but great things to say about Laura. Laura called my friend's mom after the patient had passed to make sure the family was coping and handling everything. My friend's mom said it meant the world to her to have that follow up phone call from Laura.
Not only does Laura go above and beyond for her patients, but she also goes above and beyond for her coworkers. She makes a point to get to know all her coworkers - and not just in the case management department. She always comes to work with a smile on her face and says hi to everyone. She brings treats when she knows it's someone's last day of work or their birthday, or if they're just having a tough day. She always takes time out of her day to make sure that everyone feels appreciated and cared about even if she is busy with her own work.
Every day, Laura makes it clear that she cares about her patients. These are just a few examples, but Laura treats every single patient and colleague as if they are her own family member. Not only does Laura make us want to be better case managers, but she also makes us want to be better people. She is the epitome of what every nurse should be—thoughtful, caring, empathetic, and compassionate. We wanted to take the time to recognize her for everything she does because she always takes the time to recognize everyone else every single day.