Tina can be described perfectly by the following quote, "Leadership is not a position or title, it is action and example." I have worked with Tina for the last five years. Her work ethic and patient-centered care were qualities I have already known she had, but recently, I had the privilege of working side by side with an amazing leader and nurse. Due to an impending snowstorm, our unit to run with fewer nurses taking on the maximum amount of patients allowed on a low-level unit. Not only did Tina go above and beyond for her own patients, but she also personally helped me and the other nurses with our patients. The acuity in my group was high, having received two transfers that day from ICU. Tina worked side by side with me, helping to provide not only patient care but also assisting with phlebotomy and vital signs. Even though she had a million things going on, she always put on a brave face, confident that we could complete the tasks at hand.
One of my patients that night had a difficult night, which included multiple EKGs, blood work and medications. During all of this, Tina built a rapport with the patient and even got her to laugh and smile during a serious situation. She was able to make my patient feel safe and comforted. It's moments like this in my career that I will never forget, where the patient as a human being is given the opportunity to be the primary focus, secondary to the disease/illness. I was so proud to work beside Tina and I am honored to call her my colleague. It is also important to mention her leadership and commitment to keeping our patients safe during a difficult night on the unit. It's not only about what a leader does that makes her a leader, but also how she makes others feel. I think it's safe to say I speak for everyone that night when saying that Tina was a wonderful asset to our nursing team, and made me feel like we could accomplish whatever what was thrown at us.