I have been in and out of the ER my entire life due to chronic illness and poor luck, I have dealt with every kind of staff and had every kind of interaction imaginable. I have felt belittled, put down and unheard in medical settings. With that being said, I have also seen the beauty of humanism in action and entire medical chaos be de-escalated with a change in tone of voice or demeanor and through active listening, empathy, and kindness.

Over this summer I have had extensive dental work done and have been deferred to the ER repeatedly for excruciating pain and I could not be seen for weeks at a time. I have had the pleasure of being triaged by Pam several times and in fact, in that very ED is where I sit today as I write this.

During my stay in the Sutter Davis ED, I’ve been able to witness many patients come and go all with varying degrees of emergent situations. I have seen Pam treat each one of these patients (including myself) with cheerfulness, kindness, empathy, dignity, and respect. When I have been forced to come in, I am very low priority (rightly so) and have had to wait very long most times. When I see it is Pam in triage, I do not feel as much dread as she has never treated me like a bother or burden and even helps to expedite the process by making sure billing has me ready to discharge. She and your PAs on staff treat me like all humans should be treated with empathy, understanding, and dignity.

I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of these factors (not forced, but genuine) in a medical setting (therapeutic or acute). As a patient who has probably spent two-thirds of my life in a medical setting from the ED to chronic pain management to outpatient surgery and inpatient surgery, partial hospitalization to full hospitalization, I can say fully that nurses like Pam are a ray of sunshine, especially in a place as fast-paced and chaotic as EDs can be. Where the staff has zero obligation to be kind and compassionate, only to provide critical care and move you on your way, Pam’s compassion and empathy are above and beyond.

I decided to nominate Pam for this award for her authenticity, kindness, service, and overall spirit and energy as a human being and healthcare provider. I hope that her efforts (that seem effortless) do not go unnoticed and that all who embody the attributes of empathy and respect as she does receive the praise they so greatly deserve. I can only imagine her shining and vigorously assessing a crisis situation here in the ED (which I’ve been thankful to not witness in my stays). Her gestures and spirit do not go unnoticed by the patients you serve, Pam! Thank you for living up to your oath.