It just comes down to the care we give our patients. That one to one that we can spend with them. Spend with the family. That sense of, Wow, we got them through this. And to see our patients walk out and later come back. And we have one patient who comes back year after year to thank us for saving his life. And that just really hits us. Every time we take care of a critically ill patient, this is why we become nurses.

When a patient comes in, we don’t just only take care of the patient, we care for the family too. So many times, we get thank-you’s. Thank you for all that you do for us. Thank you for not only my loved one but for what you did for me as a family member. That is what brings our patients back to us. To know that this care is genuine. It is not just pretend, it is real. We are just a unique brand of nurses here.

I am a nurse because my mother was terminally ill when I was in my early 20s and I went back to school and became a registered nurse. Because I wanted to care for my mother the way the nurses cared for her when she was in the hospital. Because being a nurse and providing that level of care, and having the patients trust me that I will do the best that I can for them, means the most to me.