I have been very fortunate when it comes to my health. Other than work, I've never spent a lot of time in hospitals or under the constant care of a medical professional. Unfortunately, over the course of the last 11 days, I've been in the ED 4 different times. At Einstein, we have so many wonderful employees and by no means should this nomination be a disservice to any of the employees who cared for me on my visits.

With that being said, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the exceptional care I received from Karen Shipman. When I arrived in the ED on August 11, I was emotionally, mentally, and physically raw. Just a few days before, I learned that I suffered a miscarriage, pretty late in my first trimester. My stay with Karen was due to losing quite a bit of blood and subsequently consciousness at home.

In the first moments of being wheeled to my "room" I remember hearing Karen's voice, calmly reassuring me that she was going to take care of me. Despite not knowing who she was or seeing her face, I believed and trusted her simply by what she said and how she said it. She had the endearing confidence you can't teach someone. Once I was properly medicated, I was able to reacquaint myself with Karen and observe how wonderful she is, and lucky I was to be assigned to her.

Throughout my stay, Karen was always two steps ahead of me and my needs. It is often difficult to relinquish control when you're accustomed to being independent, so it was incredibly moving that Karen met my needs (restroom, linen changes, etc.) as part of her routine instead of having to ask. Maintaining some sort of autonomy in this process was a blessing for the Type A in me. Moreover, she advocated for care that was best suited for me.

While I could speak, ad nauseam to Karen's skill, hand hygiene, and attention to detail, her true display of excellence was with her bedside manner and intuition with not only me, but my whole family. My husband, despite his stoicism, was scared and concerned. Karen was his pillar. She kept him informed and reassured that everything would be fine. She did the same thing when my dad came; followed shortly by my mom.

It can be so difficult to recognize good care because it is the expectation; you really only notice when it is lacking. With Karen, it was so easy to recognize all of the "good" which made her truly awesome. I know that, at times, nursing can be a thankless job. Moreover, the expectations of a nurse increase, seemingly, by the hour.

I recognize I am in a unique position because I sit on the committee that selects that DAISY Award Recipient at Einstein Medical Center Elkins Park and Moss Rehab. I am not on the selection committee for the DAISY Award at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. Whenever I read the nominations, I always try and put myself in the nominator's mind - What prompted him to nominate this person, out of all of the people with which he interacted? For me, it was the reassurance that everything would be fine. Further, her empathy and compassion were astounding. If I must be cliche, Karen truly embodies what it means to be "More than Medicine."