I would never have guessed that Elsa was a newer nurse to the CV ICU. She cared for our dad the day he became so sick from a bowel obstruction and got septic. She was implementing so many medications and monitoring several IV lines all at the same time. She was in the room for almost 3 hours when he got very sick, but she was so focused and efficient in providing care. She prioritized each thing she needed to do for him and just went down the list to implement them. She spoke to my dad, although he was not conscious. She addressed him by name and included our family in what was happening and why. There was a question about balancing his pain meds with sedation meds. Elsa came back into the room and explained what the issue was and that there was not one clear answer, and this called for critical thinking and nursing judgment. She decided what she thought was best and then consulted her colleagues on the unit, who supported her decision. This says so much about this team. They are available, approachable, and supportive of the newer staff, making them feel comfortable coming to them for consults. She cared for my dad for a couple of days but stopped by to see how he was doing one day when she was not his nurse.

Elsa is an Extraordinary Nurse whom we will never forget because she showed so much compassion not only for Dad but for the family as a whole, making sure we were as comfortable as possible, encouraging us to rest when we could, and sharing encouragement with us.