A few weeks back, we had a patient who was suffering from multiple ailments, and in tow, his sweet and devoted wife of 58 years. The P's had no children, and they were all that each other had. They even had to send their dog over the rainbow bridge a week before the patient was hospitalized because he was very old and suffering, and they just knew it was his time. We got to know them both over the couple of weeks they were here, mostly through his wife, because he was too weak to speak to us. He did improve enough, though, to move out of our unit, and with that, we had to bid farewell to them both. However, it wasn't much longer that we saw a familiar face, our dear Mrs. P. Hunter was her nurse during her time with us, and he cared for her with compassion and attentiveness, which not every nurse affords their patients. He didn't just pass her meds and keep up with her charting; he listened to her stories, kept her calm and comfortable, and made her feel like her stay with us was like being with family. We all grew close to her and empathized with her situation, but Hunter brought a human aspect to the job by meeting not just her clinical needs but her emotional ones as well.

It wasn't too long before we got the news that Mr. P, who was still hospitalized but on another floor, was taking a turn for the worse. She knew his time was drawing near, and it was simply earth-shattering. That night, Hunter coordinated a way for us to get her to him. We assembled a team with help from respiratory and our charge nurse and brought her down in a wheelchair so she could be by his side. Hunter encouraged her to talk to him and tell him everything she wanted him to hear. She thanked him for all the great years they had together, teased him about not mowing the yard enough before coming to the hospital, and told him it was okay for him to go. Hunter gave her peace by telling her he was comfortable and not in pain, and she told us that she was very grateful to be able to see him one last time. After taking pictures of them holding hands on her cell phone, we brought her back to our unit.

Mr. P passed shortly after that, but Hunter and I were comforted by the fact that we could at least bring them together one last time, and so was she. This is only one example of a time when Hunter has gone above and beyond for a patient. He tries his best not only to maintain quality nursing care but also to constantly think of ways to improve. He is his biggest critic, and that says something about his character, not only as a nurse but also as a person. He isn't one to shine a light on his positive actions and, in the process, can get overlooked. But that's because he is in his rooms, on his feet, and constantly tending to his patients. He deserves a spotlight placed on him, and I always feel privileged and proud to work beside him.