Alysa is just the type of nurse every patient wants.  She is kind, warm, efficient, professional, reassuring, unassuming, and she smiles.  Alysa was my first night nurse after knee replacement surgery, and she helped me get through the night.  She educated me on pain medication options and always asked what I needed and where I was with pain.  She was not just interested in the number but also asked questions to get a better sense of what my level meant to her.  She guided me through what was going on post-op and why we were doing what we were doing.  She urged me to drink and nibble on crackers and talked to me about balancing nutrition with the need to avoid nausea.  She helped me to get up and feel confident about moving to the bathroom with an IV pole and On-Q bag.  She acted as though she had all the time in the world when she was with me, which I know was not true because we both could hear those continuous obnoxious alarms going off. 
 
At one point during the night, when I couldn’t sleep because of those alarms, she suggested that I turn on the TV to Channel 56, where the calm classical music drowned out the alarm sounds. I quickly fell asleep with her guidance. I ended up having to stay a second night, and she saved my IV twice so we didn’t need to start a new one. She guided me through a near-fainting experience and was calm and encouraging.  
 
I learned that Alysa is the “work mom” to a number of nurses on A3.  She helped these new nurses settle in and guided their decision-making along the way.  She mentors CAs and helps the floor run smoothly no matter how many post-op patients arrive after 7:00PM.  She is an emerging leader and she loves nursing.  
 
She told me how lucky she was to be at Winchester Hospital and how she actually liked working nights.  I can tell she is humble – she doesn’t seek a lot of attention, but she deserves more.  Therefore, I wanted to nominate Alysa Anderson for the DAISY Award.