Doris often goes above and beyond to care for her patients. She receives countless compliments from patients and families alike during leadership rounds. Doris has been an RN for 40+ years, and I cannot even begin to fathom the countless lives that she has touched in that amount of time. Doris had a high school friend who was a patient on the unit last year, and I loved hearing the patient tell me about Doris' caring nature, and the amazing thing is she still cares for people to this day, how she did so many years ago.

It is very rare to maintain such a compassionate nature for such a long period of time. Doris is truly a special nurse. She takes care of her patients' every need, will advocate for patients with physicians when needed, and will take the time to sit and talk and laugh and joke with patients to make their day. Doris is one of the few nurses who cleans her patients' rooms each morning and ensures that the environment is suitable for them to get their day started on the right foot.

There are countless patients who compliment Doris's caring nature during leadership rounds, and oftentimes it is hard for them to put into words her caring nature and the impact she has had on them. Doris is very caring and works tremendously hard. She is a long-time member of the falls committee and has precepted nearly every member of the 5N staff. She recently helped with the purposeful hourly rounding skills check-off for multiple units.

It has become almost a rite of passage to precept with Doris to learn the "old school ways" of doing things. Every nurse who has the opportunity to learn from Mrs. Doris relays back what a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience they gained from precepting with her. Even in my first weeks as manager on the unit, I would go to Doris with questions related to unit practice, knowing that she knew the answer. Still to this day, I go to her when I am doubting myself to double-check. I recently did this with NG tube placement. Doris would also take time to help me find items I was looking for, and she never made me feel like I was inferior or was bothering her. This is how she treats everyone.

When Doris serves as charge, she is always on top of the unit happenings, knows the clinical picture for every patient on the unit, is passing meds, and taking care of patients' needs without the primary RN ever asking for help. Doris just somehow always knows what to do. She is such an invaluable asset to the team, and no matter what is going on, she works hard and never complains.

Multiple times she has been charge with a full patient assignment and the unit still runs without a hitch. She has also been charge with a full complement of resource RNs and she ensures that all 5N interventions are in place and 2-person skin checks are done, and each patient is well cared for. Doris carries out her community service in more of a silent, servant-like way. She will take members of the community to their doctors' appointments. Visits people when they are sick in the hospital and will take them food and other items as needed.

Doris contributes to unit initiatives, such as shoes that fit, and will bring in items from home for patients in need. Doris will help anyone in need. Doris is one of the silent heroes in this hospital. It is so rare to have a nurse remain a bedside RN for their entire career, much less a 40+ year career, and still be the loving, caring, nurturing RN they were when they started.

Doris is one of the pillars of 5N, and she is truly an unsung hero because she does not seek recognition for the wonderful service she provides to patients and staff alike. She works so hard, never complains, and never expects anything for all the work that she does. She does it because she knows it's the right thing to do. She truly deserves the highest recognition possible for all of her many years of tireless service to the nursing profession, Mercy Hospital, and the patients and staff of 5N.