An anomaly is not saying enough when speaking of my first Team Leader, Antonia. As a brand new Nurse Intern, this being my first job ever in the Healthcare Industry. At the time being a student and being nervous and apprehensive about working and going to school, Antonia was my first point of contact for my new job on the unit. She welcomed me with open arms and helped me with any and everything I needed to get set up and be fully prepared for starting on the unit. I did not know it then but she would soon become my Mentor/Teacher.

Antonia's abilities are omnipotent, and her catalog of academia in nursing is so extensive. Working with her is an experience, a lesson, and an empowerment session all wrapped in one because not only is she working, she is caring for her patients, educating them, as well as educating and assisting her team all at the same time with world-class care and concern.

As a Team Leader her governance, administration, and stewardship are rare for the current times where we are in our Healthcare industry today. Her perspicacious insight and willingness to not only lead but get down in the trenches and help her employees wherever, whenever she can always exceeds above and beyond abundantly on a consistent basis. Her staunch to her unit has no boundaries. Her high level of standard for safety for her, her unit, and her patients is impenetrable. This is a woman that I not only respect, look up to, but also aspire to be like in my nursing career, and hope to have the opportunity and un-measurable pleasure to be able to work with her side by side as nurses.

The academic pedigree in which she hails shows in every essence of her as a Nurse. Compassion, Considerate, Team Leadership, Knowledgeable, Caring, Safety, Proficient, Time-management, Punctuality, Self-Starter, Critical thinking, these characteristics are a mere drop in the bucket of what she embodies. I surely hope that you take this fabulous nurse into consideration for the well-deserved DAISY Award.