Sara Stojanovic, BSN, RN

My father passed away unexpectedly. He was brought by EMS to the ER but was already gone. My mother and I were notified, and I made my way over to the hospital. I’ve been an ER nurse for more than 20 yrs, so I knew what was coming. My dad fell face-forward when he died, so his face had several large lacerations, and he was very bloody.

Because he died unexpectedly, the police and ME were involved, and there were some complications. My mother was stuck with no vehicle because he had the only car running errands. It was going to be several hours before she could get to the hospital. It was a long afternoon, and I’m sure Sara Stojanovic was busy with her other patients. For me, it was an extraordinarily sad and difficult day. I can’t imagine going through the experience without Sara leading the way for us.

P – Passion/Compassion: Her patience and kindness with me and the situation were such a game changer. Compassion is something you can’t fake. It’s not just a smile; it’s not just a kind word… It’s the smile and kind word with every interaction. It’s the empathy for loss and grief that can’t be expressed in a single moment.

E – Establish a Special Connection: Every single time she came into the room, she made sure I had what I needed. As the situation changed and evolved, she remained calm and centered. I know what it’s like to be busy, and how hard it is not to let your patients see that you might not have the time for the small things. She seemed to always have the time.

T – Trust and Teamwork: It was important to me to be in the room with my dad until my mom could arrive, and I was never asked to step out or wait for information. It’s hard to be an experienced nurse and stand all the way back. It’s my nature to try and direct the situation, so I had to really be conscious of that for myself, but Sara encouraged me to not worry about it and just let her know what I needed.

A – Admirable Attributes: I deeply admire the nursing practice Sara showed me. Cell phones, busy lives, limited mentorship availability, burnout, and stress create big challenges for the art of nursing. I stepped out of the room to find Sara in the nurses’ station several times and never saw her on her phone. Her appearance and presentation were super professional. Small things we all used to know were expected, but not always what we see.