My husband was transported to VHC by ambulance after our flight landed at Reagan National Airport from Orlando, FL. He was admitted to the ER with elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, and fluid in his lungs, which caused difficulty in breathing. From the ER, he went to the ICU for two days before being moved to a regular room.

While there, one of the nurses who really stood out was a floating nurse named Fatima Moore. She entered the room with a smile, introduced herself, and asked how my husband was feeling. Her mannerisms, attention to detail, and professionalism let me and my husband know that she had genuine care and concern for his health and well-being. She was very thorough in explaining what and why she was doing whatever she did. She was in and out of my husband’s room, so much so that you would think that he was the only patient she had (which we know was not the case).

Monitoring his vital signs, administering his medicines, checking bodily secretions, and assuring his overall comfort when in bed or sitting in a chair helped to keep my husband calm during a stressful time. My husband was given a blood thinner to prevent blood clots and was scheduled to have physical therapy during Fatima’s shift. When the physical therapist did not come by, Fatima took it upon herself to get my husband up and walk in the hallways, giving him breathing tips and assuring that he didn’t fall. At the end of her shift, we learned she was to have had a technician assisting her, but that person’s whereabouts were unknown. Fatima was doing the work of two people and providing outstanding care.