Dean exemplifies excellence by always lending a helping hand when needed. When COVID-19 first came about, Dean was still assigned as my preceptor. I was a new nurse at the time and he exemplified excellence by guiding me through the preparation of the pandemic although this was a first for him too. He never showed fear and ensured that I did not feel fear myself. Although I did not know Dean very well at the time, it was the first time I saw his compassion shine through his work.

I felt like a burden and often thought that he probably would be better off without a new nurse following his every move during a pandemic, but Dean made sure to reassure me every day that we were a team. He expressed his teamwork skills by assigning different tasks to everyone in the unit during the pandemic. This made it easy for everyone to do their jobs while remaining safe with appropriate PPE. He advocated for both his colleagues and patients by demonstrating how to properly don and doff PPE. He also went out of his way to prepare and sanitize the unit for our incoming surge of COVID-19 patients. During this time, his critical thinking skills also shined as he made quick and safe decisions for declining patients. Patients who needed to be moved to a different floor/unit for appropriate care.

Lastly, he displays patient focus by ensuring that his patients' questions and concerns are heard. Dean is an excellent nurse from whom I have learned so much. He continues to teach me a variety of nursing skills and helped me successfully get through (although not over) my first pandemic. As a new nurse, he gave me the confidence I needed during such a difficult time. I appreciate him so much.