Aside from almost all of 2023, I have spent 14 of the last 16 days or so in three different hospital ER facilities and two cardiac units, winding up here in Morristown for immediate quad bypass surgery. Two nights ago, during the evening shift change, I met my overnight nurse, Shannon Meisel, who immediately impressed me as quite young but a highly experienced RN. Lord only knows how shocked I was to learn that Shannon is in her first year as a full-blown RN and is only in her early 20s.

She has a great attitude, and more than that, she is so very mature beyond her years. Shannon went out of her way and used her break time to spend time with me and talk about the common interests we share outside the hospital. This alleviated my mind, which is quite full of concern and worry over my upcoming bypass surgery. One common interest we share is education. Her desire is to continue in the nursing field, eventually wading into the pool of nursing education. She would make an excellent graduate student candidate in this area.

She is sweet, caring, outgoing, curious, and very supportive of those around her, including, and especially, her patients. She has taken time on multiple occasions, even when working with her assigned patients, to check in on me despite my having had two new nurses since then. Shannon has also spent more time with her colleagues at shift change not just explaining the mechanics, processes, and things such as medications to the next nurse for any of her given patients, including me.; but also to get into the character and behavioral aspects of each patient as she turns them over so her colleague knows what to expect and how best to manage is, we the holy ill.

She would make an excellent educator in the field of nursing. Her bedside manner is second to none I have ever seen, and I have never seen her without a smile. She is also a fantastic conversationalist and, more importantly, a great listener with empathy that flows over. I would know these things as a former Professor and multiple times, a patient. I know better than most the sacrifices one must make to pursue post-secondary education; there is a good deal of missed opportunity cost in the pursuit of knowledge to teach others, not just the financial cost of tuition, books, housing, and the like.

 She truly is an exceptional nurse in only her first year. Please support her pursuit of furthering her own education as she teaches others to become great healthcare workers and nurses. She pays great attention to detail in dealing with others and her patients.  The whole staff here in Morristown is excellent, but Shannon stands out to me as one of the best!