...Aubrey and I both had the opportunity to work with a very sick and dying young man during many hospitalizations. However, since Aubrey works the night shift and I work the day shift I have never had the chance to meet her. The patient that we worked with was a 25 year old man with very advanced metastasis Cancer. He had a lovely family, Mother, Father, Step-Father and 23, 16 and 14 year old sisters. He required blood and platelet transfusions to continue to live. He was not ready for Hospice - he wanted to fight until the very end of his disease. This was very difficult for his family. His Mother knew that he would not have much time and wanted to honor her son, so it was decided to keep him in the hospital with the support of Hospice here.

The night that Aubrey began working with this young man was not her first time having him as her patient. But this particular night he was dying and it was very difficult. He began to decline throughout the day and the MD told the family they could not do any more transfusions. He was confused and in pain. His family was worried and wanted him to be comfortable but this was hard to accomplish. The hospice team had checked in briefly during the day and left. That night he was bleeding out, in severe pain, and had serious shortness of breath, and he was also delirious. His family kept asking Aubrey for more medication, Aubrey stayed the night with the patient in his room - she never left. She called the MD's multiple times for more orders for symptom relieving medication, and she helped the family by talking them through what was happening and comforted and cried with them. Hospice was not there to help support her through this process. She helped a very complicated family through the most difficult time of their lives. She helped this young patient pass with dignity and as much comfort as possible.

I got the opportunity to speak to the patient's mother the day after. She was so thankful to Aubrey and she stated that she was so happy that it was Aubrey with them that night and no one else. They had worked with her through other nights and had a good rapport. She felt that Aubrey did everything she could for her son and was "real" and compassionate - she could not thank her enough.

I believe Aubrey deserves this award as she went above and beyond her job responsibilities and applied the following amazing service behaviors: Communicate effectively, act respectfully, and project a professional Image.