Alisha Miller
August 2025
Alisha
Miller
,
RN
7 Brain and Spine
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center University Hospital
Columbus
,
OH
United States
The patient may not know that Alisha was the one who brought that picture to her, but she does know that someone was there to listen, empathize, understand, and anticipate her needs
Alisha Miller started on our floor this past fall. She has not had the easiest of transitions from school to working in the field as a nurse. 7 Brain and Spine is known for its wide range of patient populations and hefty workload, especially for a new graduate nurse. Alisha is a nurse who wears her heart on her sleeve. She is often seen making emotional connections with her patients, shedding tears for them and with them. She urges them to do things that may make them uncomfortable for the betterment of their recovery, and she advocates for them when they feel hopeless and lonely.
One of the many examples of her outstanding performances lies in a story from a few weeks ago. Alisha had a patient who recently became a mother, and her baby was in the NICU. She had taken care of this new mom for two nights when, on the second night, they had to call an emergency response team for the patient and send her to the SICU due to some complications. Throughout those two nights, Alisha had shared many conversations with the new mom. One of which was her worry about being unable to visit her daughter. The mother’s loneliness and concern for her daughter stayed with Alisha throughout her third shift, compelling her to step out of her shift to visit the mom’s baby. Alisha and a PCA from 7BSH walked to the NICU to see the mom’s baby and were able to get a printed picture taken that day to deliver to the mom in the SICU. Alisha and the PCA hung up the picture of her baby in the eyesight of the mother, as the mother was intubated at the time.
While I was not present for the above portion of this story, I was fortunate enough to see the outcome of this good deed headed by Alisha and my fellow PCA. The patient returned to 7BSH four days later. On admission, she brought the picture of her baby that Alisha had printed for her. She was very overwhelmed at the transition between the ICU and step-down level of care, but she was easily comforted at the mention of her baby and the fact that someone who previously took care of her went out of their way to bring her that comfort. In providing that picture, Alisha was able to instill hope that the mother would be reunited with her daughter.
The patient may not know that Alisha was the one who brought that picture to her, but she does know that someone was there to listen, empathize, understand, and anticipate her needs while she and her daughter were in the hospital.
One of the many examples of her outstanding performances lies in a story from a few weeks ago. Alisha had a patient who recently became a mother, and her baby was in the NICU. She had taken care of this new mom for two nights when, on the second night, they had to call an emergency response team for the patient and send her to the SICU due to some complications. Throughout those two nights, Alisha had shared many conversations with the new mom. One of which was her worry about being unable to visit her daughter. The mother’s loneliness and concern for her daughter stayed with Alisha throughout her third shift, compelling her to step out of her shift to visit the mom’s baby. Alisha and a PCA from 7BSH walked to the NICU to see the mom’s baby and were able to get a printed picture taken that day to deliver to the mom in the SICU. Alisha and the PCA hung up the picture of her baby in the eyesight of the mother, as the mother was intubated at the time.
While I was not present for the above portion of this story, I was fortunate enough to see the outcome of this good deed headed by Alisha and my fellow PCA. The patient returned to 7BSH four days later. On admission, she brought the picture of her baby that Alisha had printed for her. She was very overwhelmed at the transition between the ICU and step-down level of care, but she was easily comforted at the mention of her baby and the fact that someone who previously took care of her went out of their way to bring her that comfort. In providing that picture, Alisha was able to instill hope that the mother would be reunited with her daughter.
The patient may not know that Alisha was the one who brought that picture to her, but she does know that someone was there to listen, empathize, understand, and anticipate her needs while she and her daughter were in the hospital.