It was an especially busy day in the Emergency Department EMS offload area, with an unprecedented 110 patients registered in just six hours. And in the midst of a chaotic environment, Al Olivares went above and beyond to ensure his patients continued to receive the most thorough of care.

When patient volume surged, Al took it upon himself to perform a comprehensive assessment of each patient rather than rely on a visual assessment from across the room. One elderly patient was reported in stable condition when brought to the ED, but thanks to Al's thorough review, he was able to catch her septic symptoms immediately. The patient was admitted to ICU.

While the patient may never know this, Al's additional contact and immediate intervention saved her life.

Despite a surge in patients, Al did not deviate from his plan of action and care to each of those patients with the highest degree of professionalism and calmness for the remainder of the shift.