Melissa is an incredible nurse. Time and time again after working with her I have realized just how great of a nurse she truly is. No matter what situation or patient assignment she is thrown into, she always maintains a positive and caring attitude toward her patients, their families, and everyone else that she interacts with during her shift. As a newer nurse, I feel comforted when her assignment is close to mine. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and never makes me feel discouraged when I ask questions. She does not just do this with me. I have seen her help out other nurses around her during her shift countless times and she always does so with a smile. She gives her patients everything she has each time she comes to work, no matter what the circumstances are. These are just the little things that I have noticed that made me realize how lucky this hospital is to have her. As if these little things weren't enough, there is more.
Not too long ago, Melissa had a very difficult assignment. Not only was the assignment busy due to nursing tasks and procedures, but it was also emotionally challenging. I saw her shift her focus on caring for a very sick patient to caring for the family members who had lost their child. I have never experienced anything like this during my nursing career. It was difficult to fathom that a nurse could care for a patient and their family more gracefully than Melissa did during the three consecutive shifts she spent with them. She was so much more than just their bedside nurse. She was the shoulder and ear that they needed during the worst days of this family's life. She listened to them, cried with them, and did so much more than was required of her during these shifts for this family. She did a day trade, changing her schedule so she could be there for this family as they had to watch their child undergo brain death testing. I came in the room to help her with a task on one of these shifts and I heard a grieving mother and father thank her for being so caring and tender with their child during this process. It was very obvious that she made a huge impact on this family during this tragic time in their life. To add to all of that, she stayed late on these days. She had to stay late to finish her charting because she gave all the time she could during her shifts to this family. She truly placed the needs of the family and her patient above her own needs all three days. This is a prime example of one of the many times Melissa has gone above and beyond for her patients and their families.
Melissa never asks for recognition or praise. She is so selfless, compassionate, empathetic and hardworking. She embodies all of the characteristics that one would use to define what makes a great nurse. The PICU and Children's Mercy are incredibly lucky to have a nurse like her. Even if she doesn't know it, she leads by example and is an excellent role model for other nurses in this hospital. She is the nurse that a family hopes to have when they have to be admitted into the hospital and she is the nurse that you want to work alongside during your shift. Her words and her actions as a nurse are what separates her from the rest.