This letter is written with the highest respect and adoration for Nurse Alpha. Currently, I'm in my third semester of nursing and work at MedStar Georgetown University. During the holiday season, my family encountered a phenomenal nurse. My parents were in town and attended my uncle's funeral, and during the service, my mother suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. We were unable to attend the burial or repass due to her being sent to MWHC for surgery. This news was both scary and shocking, and it was almost unbearable for the entire family. After receiving the news that she will survive and no aneurysm, but she will have to endure a recovery process, we were so grateful to the neurosurgery team and their professionalism. The recovery process began on the unit.

During a short-staffed holiday, we met nurse Alpha, and her service was remarkable among all the nurses that my mother had met. Due to separation anxiety, my mother needed my father there as support - Alpha made him feel comfortable with sharing information that was needed upon request. Medication type, dialysis timing, procedure explanation, and anything else he may have needed, she was open to educating him. By watching Alpha, I have come to understand the concept of 'cura personalis'. This refers to caring for the whole person, encompassing patients, visitors, and coworkers. Caring for the whole person extends beyond clinical care to encompass the types of care, services, and attention that are personal and meaningful to individuals. She provided the type of care, service, and attention we needed during a transitioned holiday season.