Victoria is the epitome of the various roles a great nurse plays to give the patient and their family the best care possible. She is also a constant source of positivity and always looking for ways to make things better for staff, patients, and families. Around Christmas time of 2018, a very sick patient was transferred to the MICU. Upon talking to the mother, we realized the patient and his family live over two hours away and are financially unstable. The patient's mother was able to take two buses and a train via public transportation to come to see her ailing son, however, would have to stay overnight for days at a time due to her financial status. As the patient's condition deteriorated, Victoria not only made the mother as comfortable as she could in staying overnight but was involved in multiple lengthy conversations. With the emotional support from the same nurse over the course of multiple shifts, the mother was able to come to terms with how sick her son really was.
The day the patient passed, there was no hope for a possible recovery. In helping the mother come to terms with the son's prognosis Victoria was made aware of the lack of resources available to the patient's family for funeral arrangements. She spent almost her entire 12-hour shift calling different funeral homes near the patient's home for information on pricing and payment options. Not only did she provide the mother with a list of these funeral homes, but then found out the mother had no way of returning home for the night, even if the patient were to pass. She went above and beyond contacting the nursing supervisor who was able to provide the mother with a direct means of transportation to her home. The patient wound up passing away with the mother being able to be with her son for the last time, and have peace of mind knowing she could sleep in her own bed that night. Without Victoria's extreme attention to the family's needs, the passing of the patient would have been detrimental to the family, especially around the holiday season.