Shirley genuinely cares about each of her patients. I have seen on more than one occasion where she will bring in flowers or balloons for patients who have no friends or family who visit or call. She does so without drawing any attention to herself or seeking validation from colleagues. With other patients who get no visitors, she will build relationships with their families over the phone to get to know as much as she can about the patient and their situation (many of her patients are on ventilators and cannot share their stories with her). She comes in early and stays late to make sure she is giving her patients the kind of care she would like to receive herself. She has been a nurse for a solid 40 years and I admire the compassion that she is still able to show her patients after all this time.