The phrase “may I help you?” in this new century that we live in has surely changed since I was younger. It was the automatic phrase when addressed by someone assigned to assist you back then. Nowadays, service people just don’t feel, respect, or even understand the meaning of quality customer service. Per Websters Dictionary, customer service is defined as “the help and advice that a company gives people who buy or use their services”. I would like to add that patient service can be compared to customer service, and in my opinion, patient service also involves a professional person who possesses specialized medical skills and medical knowledge that can work with many people of different personalities without compromising the level of quality service.

I would like to introduce you to nurse Teresa Stevens, RN of the IBD Team at UM. Nurse Teresa Stevens has demonstrated the true meaning of nursing care and professionalism. COVID-19 has compromised the quality of many services, and by no fault of anyone, had to be accepted by all. Fortunately, Teresa doesn’t fall into that category. She displays a level of patient care that cannot be measured. She also performs at a level of professionalism that leads me to believe that she lives the UM core values as a foundation of her nursing skills, medical service, and patient care to all that come across her path. A true tribute to the profession of nursing, to her co-workers, and to the health system, she has not allowed the ugliness of COVID 19 interrupt or downsize her genuine care of her patients. When I say “genuine” that is just what her service is. Her services are clearly a talent that cannot be taught. Her outstanding advice has calmed me on many occasions when doctors were delayed or unavailable due to the strain of the pandemic.

Although the patient portal has certain recommendations listed as “turn-around” times for a response, that doesn’t apply to nurse Teresa. Her patient priority skills take precedence over every patient. With the fright of my medical condition, there were many days and nights when I just didn’t know how I was going to make it, but to my surprise, I could always depend on seeing a portal response in the morning from Teresa, greeting me with solutions to my questions. With a direct line of communication with the GI doctors, she gave me the feeling of having my own personal nurse. Now, I have been on this earth for 56 years, and I have never had that kind of feeling about a nurse. I plea to the committee to recognize one of U of M’s finest assets, Teresa Stevens. I have said many times before, “in this country we have a major problem; we are too quick to complain and too slow to compliment!” Teresa surely warrants this compliment and the recognition as a DAISY Nurse.