During my rounds I observed Rachel caring for a patient who had a urology procedure. He was very uncomfortable and having a difficult time managing the pain. Rachel administered pain medication as ordered but felt strongly there was a better option for pain management she wanted to explore with the patient. This pain medication came in the form of a suppository. The patient was very hesitant to explore this as an option, but after a heartfelt conversation with Rachel, he decided to trust her judgment and give it a try.

Within 5 minutes of administration, the patient was much more comfortable. He still seemed a little anxious, so Rachel asked him what kind of music he liked and played Frank Sinatra songs to keep him calm until he returned to his room. I was so impressed with Rachel's ability to connect with this patient and form a trusting relationship in the small amount of time he was in PACU. It was an amazing experience as a manager to see Rachel feeling confident in her knowledge, skill, and ability to provide quality care to this patient. She is a patient advocate every day, but on this day she really shined as a nurse.