During one of the clinical days, I hadn’t seen Sophia during my rounds for a while and figured she was having a busy day with the nurse. Later, when I saw the student, they let me know that their patient was going to have brain surgery the following day and they would be shaving their head. The female patient was feeling sad about losing their hair and shared this with the student.

Sophia, recognizing this as a moment to show empathy and provide care, offered to brush out the patient’s hair, which had become severely tangled and dry. Sophia said she stayed with the patient for 2 hours talking, listening to her, and brushing out their hair. In our conversation, Sophia said, “I didn’t do much, but I could tell it made her feel better”. I have often seen many students help patients but not really take the time to listen to them and truly take care of them as a person, to provide holistic care.

This is what set Sophia apart: it didn’t matter that it took a lot of her time; she was happy to provide this care to help the patient feel better. This is not something that I can teach; it comes from a true passion to help others, a vital component of the nursing profession that isn’t always seen in students. I was very touched by this simple act of kindness and therapeutic communication that she gave the patient. She has a bright future ahead of her, and her patients will benefit from her caring heart.