Magda Sayed is a spectacular nurse. For the years I have worked with her, she has always been smart, hard-working, inquisitive, has a proactive attitude, great with families, kind, thorough and dedicated to her patients - everything you want in an Operating room nurse caring for some of the most vulnerable patients going for surgery: sick adults to premature babies. Magda never complains, she is one of the mentors I seek when I have difficulty understanding a procedure or equipment, and would always answer her cellphone even at home. I look up to her because of how she balances work, family, and the AORN community.

We worked together one day last week on a busy afternoon, and this particular day stood out to me. We had an Emergency ruptured ectopic that needed to be done; the patient was hypertensive, tachycardic, and was bleeding, but unfortunately, all teams, including me, were assigned a room, and all morning shift staff had already left for the day. I felt the frustration of the doctor when I told him about the staffing issue and that his patient would have to wait until a room finished to bump the next case. I asked my manager if I could call back another team; she told me Magda was still around and was willing to stay and help. Magda got everything from setting up the room and bringing the patient into the OR as quickly as she could with her scrub technician. Surgery went smoothly. The doctor informed me it could have been worse if the patient had waited a little longer in the emergency room. After surgery, the doctor and the patient’s family were all appreciative and thankful for getting a team and bringing the patient in a short time. All the compliments should be given to Magda because if she hadn’t stayed and helped, there wouldn’t be a team to start with. She went above and beyond by giving us her time to save a patient. It’s not the first time that Magda stayed to help. She has always offered to finish a case or stay to start a case when needed. This just shows how fantastic a team player she is.