Recently, several patients were admitted to Burn ICU with life threatening burns and all of them were intubated. Multiple admissions at one time is not common, and results in significant challenges for the Burn team members. Ericka was one of a very strong team that day. When I arrived to see how the team was doing, I saw Ericka coming from her patient's room. Her scrub top was soaked with sweat. Her patient was a young child and over 95% of his body was covered in full thickness, 3rddegree burns. I knew immediately, that despite their heroic efforts, this child would probably not do well. Ericka did her best to maintain her composure amidst this tragic situation, and returned to the bedside to focus on her patient.
When I returned later that afternoon, I went to the child's room. Ericka was seated beside him, holding his hand. She was reading to him, complete with melodic inflection of voice and using different character voices, as the best story tellers do.
The brilliance of her act of compassion was a shining example of nursing at its very finest. Ericka did not just make a difference for her patient, but also for all the staff who work beside her. I am honored to call Ericka my colleague.