Michelle was the night nurse assigned to care for me for the first three nights following a spine revision surgery. I was anxious regarding the hospital stay. Working in healthcare myself, I am well aware of the challenges with staffing. The first night after surgery is particularly difficult. First of all, she made my husband comfortable by making sure he had what he needed to stay with me.

Michelle explained and normalized what I was experiencing with pain. My blood pressure was low, and she had competently addressed that issue. The second night, a close friend stayed with me. Again, she was kind to her, not making her feel she was in the way. She provided a lot of education about what to expect with pain, mobility, energy, and emotions when I went home. Knowledgeable, competent, compassionate, empathetic, and diligent are terms I would use to describe her personality and care. I asked my husband and friend to stay because I was anxious about the post-op night care, but it turned out that was not necessary. I've been a nurse for 40 years and taught in several nursing programs; Michelle is a model of what I would want to have in every nurse.