I’ve been an ICU nurse for 12 years, and I’ve precepted many new nurses. I’ve worked with nurses of varying skill levels and know the importance of teamwork within the unit. Oftentimes, the well-being of our patients hinges on the support of our colleagues. In the ICU, a patient can quickly become unstable, and a helpful co-worker can, quite literally, save a life. My coworker, Abby, as a brand-new nurs,e has an inherent ability to anticipate the needs of her ICU team. She is level-headed during a crisis and has the critical-thinking prowess I see in seasoned ICU nurses. Coupling her impressive critical care skills is her calming, empathetic bedside manner. Her patient care is gentle, yet effective, all the while protecting and supporting the patients’ dignity and independence. These are nursing skills developed over time and experience. Abby has mastered these skills naturally, without time under her belt. I can only imagine her limitless potential in our field. Her drive to ask questions and ambition to learn new skills humbles me as a jaded care provider, making me want to become a better nurse and a better human.

I recently joined the Columbia Memorial Hospital ICU, which is a rural critical access hospital on the Oregon Coast. Our ICU operates with only two nurses. If my patient begins to deteriorate, working collaboratively with my coworker inevitably affects the quality of the healthcare I provide to my patient. Recently, I began my shift with a patient who was obviously in distress. His breathing was labored, he was hypotensive, had no palpable distal pulses, muffled heart tones, and intense abdominal pain. In addition to getting our hospitalists to the bedside, I needed to contact the intensivist via tele-doc. The patient required a central line, arterial line, pressors, bipap, imaging, and air-transport to a larger hospital in Portland. In a larger hospital, this can be achieved relatively easily. In a small hospital on night shift, a situation like this can feel like moving mountains. A delay in care could have led to the patient's coding. With my own stress levels rising, I turned around, and Abby was already in my patient’s doorway, anticipating my needs. She had already contacted the interdisciplinary care team and initiated the process for transport. I couldn’t leave the patient’s bedside, but almost telepathically, Abby had already gathered the supplies I needed and kept track of the extensive, necessary charting. Her assistance during this crisis helped me to quickly stabilize the patient and avoid calling a code.

In all my time as an RN, I have never seen a brand-new nurse have the natural abilities that Abby already possesses. She motivates me and reminds me I can still see our profession with a fresh perspective. At my stage of the game that is a gift. I nominate her for a DAISY Award because I want her to know she is seen and appreciated. I want her to be confident in her skills and know she can inspire her colleagues. I want her to know she gives me hope for the future of healthcare.