Have you ever heard the phrase always a bride and never a bridesmaid? That phrase fits Laura perfectly. She has been nominated for the DAISY Award several times but has never received the award. She has been employed at RMC for 29 years and has touched many people's lives. Laura is one of those nurses who truly stand out. Patients will present to the ER, and knowing that Laura is their nurse seems to set them at ease. She brings experience, knowledge, and passion to the workplace. She is not afraid to educate patients and their caregivers so that they understand their diagnosis and treatment plan.

Not only does Laura tackle the current prognosis, but she also tackles the hard stuff. She addresses how poor lifestyle habits can lead to complications and also contribute to the reasons the patients are being seen currently. These conversations can be difficult to tackle, and most nurses tend to shy away from them. Not only does Laura educate patients and family, but she also educates her co-workers. Have you ever tried to teach an old dog new tricks? It can be hard. Trying to teach an old dog that is also set in its ways is even harder. Laura handles this task with ease. The ER is full of several of us who are opinionated and set in our ways, making it difficult to see different points of view. Laura, even knowing that she was nearing retirement, took on the job of becoming a super user in CERNER. This involved teaching us all a whole new computer system. We didn't look forward to this change and weren't always the best with our opinions, but she took them all with grace. She goes the extra mile and is available day or night for my questions. Whenever I'm having any sort of issues, she troubleshoots it with me or shows me the best places to be able to document clearly. If Laura doesn't know the answer, she will dedicate her personal time to look into it and let me know.

Laura is one who fights many battles that no one knows about. She is a cancer fighter, but most would never know it. When COVID hit and many people were afraid of getting COVID, she faced it with no fear. She still went into those rooms with resilience and stated that she went into nursing to care for those who were ill and that she wasn't going to let fear stop her. She is a nurse who rarely calls in sick and makes work a priority. In the evenings, even when her shift is completed, she will stay to make sure that our patients are well taken care of and that we are able to safely provide their care. In doing this, she helps encourage and support her peers while also making sure that patients remain a top priority.

Laura is highly respected in our department. She often goes the extra mile to help make our department better. She is often found pulling out dates from the carts. She is also an advocate for continued education in our department. She pours her heart into everything that she does and makes me strive to be a better nurse. She is the prime example of a nurse deserving a DAISY Award. She will retire this summer and deserves to finally be the "bride". This award represents the ultimate acknowledgment and compliment as a nurse: the combination of heart and science to care for and nurture our patients, which she radiates throughout our department.