Jaquita Bishop was one of the first night shift nurses I had in the CVT, and due to my lengthy stay, this nurse was also on staff several nights at the end of my stay, including the night before I was discharged. All the nurses were great, but this nurse, in particular, was always Johnny-on-the-spot early on. Jaquita was always friendly and took the time to get to know more about me with every interaction.

Thanks to the relationship she had built with me, she gave me what I needed most during one of those night shifts, going above and beyond for me.

I had open-heart surgery and a difficult recovery with an extended stay in the ICU (whose nurses, by the way, were also fantastic). As I was recovering in the CVT, I was faced with a dilemma. My surgeon was out of town for a few days, and during that time, my care team recommended that I have yet another surgical procedure to install a permanent pacemaker.

I was hesitant, mainly because I wanted to talk to my surgeon, and my newly repaired heart had not even had a chance to react to the first surgery. At no point did I ever say "no" to the procedure. I only asked if we could wait a few days over the weekend to see how my heart was managing on its own.

My new cardiologist (whom I had only met once) reluctantly understood, as he was concerned for my well-being, as was the rest of my team. He was great, already making preparations for alternative treatment if I ultimately decided not to get the pacemaker.

This is where Jaquita stepped up to help me with one of the biggest decisions of my life. Quite frankly, I was scared, facing yet another life-altering surgery and struggling to make a final decision.

During Jaquita's rounds, she took the time to listen to me, talk things through, and fully understood both sides of the issue. Most importantly, she made me feel like I was not crazy, which was incredibly comforting and reassuring.

I am a person who likes to do things thoroughly, and the time that she spent with me was the absolute best thing anyone could have done for me. The knowledge and understanding, as well as the ability to help me be aware of all the possible outcomes, were exactly what I needed. Talking things through helped me take a "wait and see" approach that I felt totally comfortable with.

As it turned out, my heart did well the first night and perfectly the second, but unfortunately had a setback on the third, and that was all I was waiting for. That setback immediately convinced me that getting the pacemaker was the right choice, and I had the procedure done two days later.

During the interim, I had a chance to talk to my surgeon, who confirmed that my choice to briefly delay the procedure was understood and even warranted, as sometimes the heart is able to heal on its own after the surgical procedure I had undergone, and that I had done no damage by waiting a short time.

Without Jaquita, had I felt pressured into the procedure, I would have always questioned my decision, and it would have probably nagged me for the rest of my life. Instead, because she took that time with me, I was able to see for myself and know without a doubt that I was making the best choice for myself and my future health and well-being.

When a nurse is so knowledgeable that they are able to echo a surgeon's guidance without talking to them and are able to share that knowledge in such a caring manner, while also excelling in all of their other duties, that, to me, is the epitome of what a great nurse is.