I have enjoyed very good health in my adult life. I have had only one other in-hospital surgery many years ago, and it was not a pleasant experience. (It was not at an OSF facility and was only a one day stay.) When I was recently advised I needed major abdominal surgery, I developed anxiety and dread because I did not know what to expect. I was especially concerned about the recovery room area immediately post-op and how I would be feeling. On the day of surgery, the pre-op team was excellent, but I still had concerns about post-op and what my experience would be like. In short, it could not have been better! When I regained awareness, I was being cared for by Tara who made sure I knew her name and that she would be within a few feet of me at all times. She very frequently talking with me and asked me how my pain was. She indulged me when I wanted to talk about family and other personal matters. She also kept me apprised of the time of day and the status of a room assignment. It turned out there was a delay in getting me to a room due to a shortage of rooms that day. But she was very persistent and announced she had gotten me a room, and we had a little verbal celebration.
I realized after a couple of hours of being cared for by Tara that I was feeling very calm and secure. Any dread was gone, and I had no questions about my status or condition. She exuded leadership and assertiveness, and I had great confidence in her nursing skills. There are those in nursing who have passion, and clearly have a patient-centric outlook and attitude. She has all of this and more. I have never seen "compassion" demonstrated so clearly by a healthcare provider. I was sure of my evaluation of her when it came time to leave the Recovery Unit. I did not want to leave! I could not imagine a better nurse would be available to continue my care.
In summary, Tara is a nurse who left a huge impact on me by demonstrating what nursing is all about. She was confident, competent, compassionate, and devoted to making my experience the very best it could be. She stands out to me as one of the very best nurses I have ever encountered.