We can all agree that the emergency room is the last place anyone wants to end up. After two trips to the urgent care with my daughter to avoid the emergency room, we still found ourselves there early Saturday morning after no sleep. Coming into the emergency room with any of my loved ones has always been an anxiety-producing event for me. I have not always had the best experience in the emergency room or when seeking out medical care. This morning was no different. I could feel my heart racing, my hands sweating, and my overall nerves while driving that morning. I was giving myself a pep talk about advocating for my daughter the same way I advocate for my patients and not letting anyone diminish or downplay my concerns. Well, turns out all that worry was for nothing. From the second Caleb called us back to triage, I could tell he was different. He was a nurse who loved to be a nurse and wanted to make people feel better. He was kind, listened without interrupting or interjecting, and validated that we did the right thing coming in. He told me we were going to get my daughter feeling better and immediately took my anxiety level from a 10 to a 0. I knew I could let my guard down; I was not going to have to fight for what my daughter needed; he was going to make sure she got it.

Caleb talked my very scared daughter through an IV start, kept us updated on lab results, and was a wealth of knowledge. Once labs came back and we had our answer, he gave me so much teaching and information about ways to help her get better fast, precautions to take, and when to return. He told us that if she did not get better or got worse, to skip urgent care and bring her back to the ER. He gave me the reassurance I needed to make sure my daughter would get the care she needed. He did not rush us out the door and never treated us as an inconvenience. He may not have realized it, but his care made all the difference in our experience that day. When I told my coworkers about our experience in the ER and this amazing nurse we had, they all said they knew Caleb; he had taken care of them or their loved ones, and he was amazing for them, too. It is obvious that I did not catch Caleb on a good day or in a good mood; he is a great nurse every day. He is everything you could ever wish for in a nurse. Memorial is lucky to have him. I hope to stay out of the ER for a very long time, but if I find myself there, his face is the one I will be looking for! I wanted Caleb to know how much I appreciated him and what a difference he makes every day!