Amanda is an amazingly bright, caring, and passionate nurse who recently moved into one of our night charge nurse positions. She works harder than anyone I know. She always makes sure that everyone else’s needs are met before her own. She never complains and I’ve never seen her turn down a coworker who is asking for help.

When you work with Amanda you don’t even need to ask for help, she just knows when and where she is needed, and she shows up! She is not only our coworker and charge nurse, but also a friend to everyone. Working night shift, we don’t always have resources right at our fingertips, however, Amanda always keeps a level head when the patients won’t stop coming through the door or when we experience emergencies such as STAT C-Sections, postpartum hemorrhages, or neonatal resuscitations.

Amanda frequently wears many different hats at the same time. She’s been known to work as the nursery nurse, charge nurse, AND take on a labor patient at the same time. I don’t think the word “no” is in her vocabulary. She has helped lead her fellow burned out night-shifters through this pandemic with ever-changing policies and staffing shortages and continues to make sure that we all feel supported. Don’t even get me started on open shifts; Amanda is always the first one to volunteer to work! I want Amanda to know that her efforts are seen and appreciated. She is our fearless leader, and she deserves to be recognized.

Here are a few things that some of her other coworkers have to say about Amanda:

- You never have to ask for help from Amanda, she just shows up! More than once, I have walked out of a patient room for something (a wheelchair, an IV start kit, ice water) and she is walking toward me with it! She never asks if you ‘need help’ she just shows up and starts helping.

- As a charge nurse she knows what is going on in each area of the department and offers support to everyone.

- Amanda is an advocate for nurses AND patients. She shows her support of staff through problem solving and troubleshooting, and by being a liaison between staff and management. These core values command respect from coworkers and builds teamwork. Even in trying times, it’s easy to band together when you know you are supporting the person who always supports you!

- Amanda is the most selfless coworker I’ve ever had; she is the first to jump in and help and she makes sure every last staff member on the unit has had a rest break and a meal break before she will take one. She is always encouraging and positive. 

- Miss Amanda! These words cannot even begin to say thank you for the endless number of hours you have put into perfecting your role in this world. You are a “giver” to many – and I feel so blessed that our paths have crossed. You are a caregiver in your home life, at work, and to your friends. You spend endless nights at work taking on trying situations with grace, urgency/order, and resilience. Amanda is the type of nurse who will stand beside you and do the work when you are drowning with a patient load. She will take on patients while still looking out for the rest of the floor. She continues to seek out new information to improve her practice. Amanda is an amazing teacher – she is patient and excited to help you gain understanding. I am honored to stand next to you, not only at work but also in this life. Amanda seeks out deep personal relationships with each of her coworkers – continuing to make the trust needed for emergency situations run even deeper. Thank you for your love, joy, and sarcasm. I know I can speak for our floor in saying there is no one more deserving of this than you, Kimball!