Cindy continuously goes above and beyond while providing top-notch patient care in the Emergency Department. Last year during one of the busiest COVID times we had one of our staff members admitted with COVID. Due to the bed status and of course the patient being one of our own we decided to provide her care in the ED. All of the staff made sure this somewhat stubborn patient/coworker was doing all she needed to recover. It was Cindy that made sure she was out of bed ambulating with oxygen and able to bathe daily. Our patient/coworker made a full recovery and was discharged to home.

Cindy's care didn't stop at discharge. She later went to the patient's/coworker's home to make a walkway to include stepping stones to provide a safe entrance into her home. She also brought a ladder and installed lighting on the home to provide additional safety. This is just one example to show Cindy's caring heart.

We often see patients that are falling on hard times; some are homeless and use the ED as a place to escape the outdoors and find food. Most of the time these are the same patients and we know them all on a first name basis. Their living conditions and lack of daily hygiene leaves these patients with a smell that makes it difficult to be next to them or provide any type of care. One particular patient had been to the ED several times and I will just say that you could smell when he arrived. The patient was assigned to Cindy. Instead of complaining after making sure he wasn't having a medical emergency, she took him to the shower. Who knows why he came to the ED that day; perhaps he thought he needed care or perhaps he just needed a break from his living conditions. Cindy helped provide both that day. Cindy is always caring, compassionate, and committed to patient advocacy but as stated above she goes above and beyond bedside nursing. She works daily with her caring, compassionate, and empathic heart.