I was sitting with the patient in one of the rooms, and Emily had the typical team of three patients. Throughout the day, another patient kept screaming out and became more and more difficult to keep settled down. Emily spoke to him so respectfully and kindly. She didn't talk down to him or threaten him. He would eventually start yelling specifically for Emily.
At 5:00 pm Emily pulled her chair over and sat with the patient and just talked. She learned that he liked Hank Williams, so she turned on some music for him to listen to. She let him know she would return after helping another patient eat his meal. She went and fed her patient, patiently and with a smile on her face. While the other patient was singing Hank Williams calmly to whoever would listen for the remainder of the shift.
This brought tears to my eyes. We, including myself, get so caught up in the numbers, the monitors, the tasks, that we forget about the human we are caring for. Emily has a special quality to keep that in the forefront. She is an asset to the unit and a true model of nursing. She is a delight for the patients and staff alike. I have never seen her flustered or without a smile. I am proud to work alongside Emily and wish her well in her career to come.