Constancia (Maria) Sanchez was the primary nurse to a patient who had a traumatic brain injury following a stroke. Initially, the patient was combative and had to be restrained. Maria consistently provided positive reinforcement, eventually leading to the removal of restraints. The patient's behavior was a continual challenge, prompting other nurses to ask not to be assigned to the patient. Maria declined offers of a break from caring for the patient, even after the most difficult shifts. Her reply was always, "She's mine. I'll take care of her."
As months passed, Maria was the one steadfast influence on her recovery. She was a big part of the patient's remarkable progress. The patient learned to trust that Maria would meet her needs. No matter how frequently she called, Maria went to check on her and provide reassurance. When the patient regained her ability to speak, Maria encouraged conversation by covering her tracheostomy and saying, "tell me." She taught her the names of other staff. Soon the patient was expressing her needs. She persevered as she pushed the patient to regain skills such as feeding herself and brushing her own teeth. Maria made sure the patient was placed in a wheelchair and brought to the nurses' station to increase her interaction with others. She sought out speech and physical therapy staff to make sure the patient built on every little bit of progress. Maria celebrated with the patient when she was able to transfer to a wheelchair and began taking steps.
The nurse-patient relationship continued to evolve. Maria recognized subtle changes in the patient's condition. She followed her gut and had the courage to speak up when something wasn't right. Maria was attentive to the patient's appearance as well. She cut her hair to camouflage the surgical site and brighten her appearance. She kept her nails trimmed. The patient began to call Maria her friend. Through the highs and lows of the patient's stay, Maria advocated for her, fought for her, cared about her. Maria and her patient were profoundly affected by the time they spent together.