I was a patient on floor 9 A neurology at Tampa General Hospital. While I received excellent care from all the nurses on this floor, Elaine Morse stood out.

Due to surgery on my cervical spine, I was required to wear a neck brace during my entire stay at the hospital. During my stay, my neck began to swell severely, combining with the neck brace to make me feel as if my throat were closing. Elaine responded immediately to my call; she listened to me and assessed the situation while simultaneously keeping me calm. She made the determination to contact the neurology team and was able to quickly get I.V. steroids on board that almost instantly reduced my swelling. Her calm yet immediate responsiveness kept the situation from escalating. Needless to say we bonded after this experience.

During the course of several conversations, she mentioned that she was thinking about entering into a teaching program for other nurses; I personally think she would excel at this as she not only worked well with me but also with my family as well. My family members had to learn to be comfortable with putting my neck brace together before I left the hospital, and she patiently worked with each family member until everyone could confidently assemble the brace.

She also saw to my comfort. I was very warm in my room, and she saw to it that I got a fan so I did not overheat, allowing me to breathe more easily with my bulky neck brace. In addition, she was attentive to my family members' comfort, making sure my family members felt welcome and addressing all their questions and concerns.

Elaine is professional, caring, knowledgeable, and personable. She stood out among her peers, and Tampa General is lucky to have her as part of their neurology team. I can't think of a more deserving recipient for this award, and I'm honored to nominate her.