Liza Rieke
January 2022
Liza
Rieke
,
APRN
MICU
VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System
Cleveland
,
OH
United States
Liza’s compassion and dedication for her patients, like Uncle B, is unmatched, and I am forever grateful he had Liza to care for him during his last days.
Liza Rieke is an integral part of the SICU team in Cleveland and served as a care provider for my uncle during October 2021. Everyone on the SICU staff was providing wonderful care to my uncle B after his bile duct/liver surgery. And I mean, every last person- the VA is a special place indeed, and I feel privileged to have met so many kind caregivers. However, Liza’s contributions stood out to me amongst the team of so many doctors and nurses who were at B’s side for the past month.
Liza was able to provide me with straightforward information to help my family prepare for what each day may bring. Which, unfortunately, on most days, was bad news. Things no one wants to hear, and folks like me don’t quite understand because I have no healthcare background whatsoever. But Liza was able to sift through the medical jargon and piece together all of our interactions over a given day or week, to help me understand my uncle’s prognosis and general well-being. She was constantly meeting with doctors and nursing staff to see what else we could do to try to help Uncle B recover from his cancer surgery, and we quickly developed a relationship while she was managing his care.
My family is a lively bunch, and we all got to know Liza pretty well during our visits. She was so busy with all of her other patients, but always took time to talk to us about how we were doing and made sure we were informed of updates and next steps for our beloved Uncle. On Uncle B’s last day, she gave us all hugs to say goodbye to us as her shift ended, and that meant the world to us. That a caregiver who barely met a man who fought for his country would care so much about his loved ones whom she knew for just under a month.
Liza’s compassion and dedication for her patients, like Uncle B, is unmatched, and I am forever grateful he had Liza to care for him during his last days. Thank you Liza, for making a horrible situation a little bit more tolerable. And for sharing the unknown, sadness, and laughs with us along the way. I’m hopeful you will recognize Liza for her efforts as an outstanding care provider at the Cleveland VA.
***
I would like to echo/reiterate everything my sister submitted for her Liza Rieke nomination. Liza was a compassionate yet honest voice for our whole family. She greeted us whenever we arrived to the hospital and was always prepared to answer any questions we had. We truly appreciated having her oversee our uncle's care and are thankful to all the VA staff, but Liza was a notch above...she was that steady ship that guided us through the storm. We will never be able to sufficiently thank her for all the support she provided. She very much is deserving of recognition.
Liza was able to provide me with straightforward information to help my family prepare for what each day may bring. Which, unfortunately, on most days, was bad news. Things no one wants to hear, and folks like me don’t quite understand because I have no healthcare background whatsoever. But Liza was able to sift through the medical jargon and piece together all of our interactions over a given day or week, to help me understand my uncle’s prognosis and general well-being. She was constantly meeting with doctors and nursing staff to see what else we could do to try to help Uncle B recover from his cancer surgery, and we quickly developed a relationship while she was managing his care.
My family is a lively bunch, and we all got to know Liza pretty well during our visits. She was so busy with all of her other patients, but always took time to talk to us about how we were doing and made sure we were informed of updates and next steps for our beloved Uncle. On Uncle B’s last day, she gave us all hugs to say goodbye to us as her shift ended, and that meant the world to us. That a caregiver who barely met a man who fought for his country would care so much about his loved ones whom she knew for just under a month.
Liza’s compassion and dedication for her patients, like Uncle B, is unmatched, and I am forever grateful he had Liza to care for him during his last days. Thank you Liza, for making a horrible situation a little bit more tolerable. And for sharing the unknown, sadness, and laughs with us along the way. I’m hopeful you will recognize Liza for her efforts as an outstanding care provider at the Cleveland VA.
***
I would like to echo/reiterate everything my sister submitted for her Liza Rieke nomination. Liza was a compassionate yet honest voice for our whole family. She greeted us whenever we arrived to the hospital and was always prepared to answer any questions we had. We truly appreciated having her oversee our uncle's care and are thankful to all the VA staff, but Liza was a notch above...she was that steady ship that guided us through the storm. We will never be able to sufficiently thank her for all the support she provided. She very much is deserving of recognition.