I am the healthcare surrogate for a patient. I am also a retired CVICU nurse, and I carefully appraise the nursing care given to me and those I care about. Detra was extra attentive, more than usual. She was always surveying the room and making sure that the patient’s pain was monitored and that she was comfortable. I noticed how meticulous she was in explaining what she was doing and why she was doing it so as to make the patient feel at ease.

The patient had cancer that had spread to the brain, so she was very slow and forgetful at times. Detra was so patient and kind and never got frustrated with her at all. Her compassion was through the roof. She was insistent on taking extra time to explain and communicate clearly. She also made sure that I was spoken to and informed so that I could adequately advocate for my friend. She instilled confidence in both me and my friend who was the patient.