Bertha goes above and beyond to help out her fellow coworkers. Not just nurses but anyone who looks like or seems like they may need help. She is always there when you get an admission to help with anything you might need. She works the most out of anyone I know on the night shift. Bertha has been a nurse for 31 years. She is selfless and kind and really cares about her patients.

If the phrase above and beyond had a picture to represent it, Bertha's photo would surely be there. I am a new grad just off orientation and Bertha was the first nurse to show up during a patient's rapid decline, and she was the last one there helping me with all the tasks related. You always hear that the older nurses are hard on the new ones and while that might be true Bertha defies this. She is a helper by nature. She advocates for patients and for fellow nurses. Her guidance does more than help the patients that she cares for. It also carries over to my patients because of what she has taught me. Her advice is priceless and we are beyond lucky to get to work with her.

Bertha has been a nurse for a very long time. I have personally worked with her for two years, and I can honestly say she goes above and beyond every single shift. I was pregnant a few months back and dealing with high blood pressures. One shift in particular, I was caring for an extremely sick, critical patient who was rapidly deteriorating. Bertha was resource nurse that night and saw that I was struggling as I was 35 weeks pregnant at the time and immediately came to aide me. She spent the rest of her night doing everything in her power to help me keep the patient alive, even urging me to sit down and rest. She never complained, and because of the help she provided that night, the patient was able to make a successful recovery and eventually be discharged from the hospital. At one point during the shift, we found out that the patient's family had not been notified. I spoke to the doctor and urged them to notify family and Bertha came as well and reiterated the fact that the patient was in critical condition and that it was our duty to keep the family updated.

We work in a prison, which means family cannot be at the bedside with their loved ones. Bertha always advocates for her patients, ensures that the family is updated, and does everything in her power to make a family visit happen. She is the best coworker, a patient advocate, a fantastic leader, and a fountain of knowledge. She always goes out of her way to help, educate, and encourage her peers. I cannot think of someone more deserving of this award.