Margie was the nurse to a young patient who was frequently on our unit. The patient had muscular dystrophy and her mom was her primary caretaker. The patient began decompensating and the doctors spoke to her mom about code status. Margie could see how distressed the mom was. Margie spent countless hours in the room. She explained everything to the mom in Spanish and ensured that all her questions were answered.

She also took the time to get to know the mom and the patient. Margie comforted her and listened to stories about the patient’s childhood. The mom ultimately made the difficult decision for her daughter to transition to comfort care. I don’t think the mom would have been able to make this decision if it wasn’t for Margie advocating for the patient and demonstrating exemplary compassion and empathy! Margie is an extraordinary nurse!