Nicole brought us back to what she said was a triage room. During that time, she made an impact. She let me sit in the wheelchair, and my family was able to come with me, which helped because I could not talk much due to shortness of breath. She sat on her stool and actually listened to what was going on. She wasn’t focused on the computer but rather on me. She had a smile on her face the whole time that she was with us, and the ER was very busy this evening. She was able to hold her cool with some not-so-nice people in the lobby, which was impressive. She was able to get me back to a room rather quickly, as she explained the ER isn’t first-come, first-served, but it is based on how sick you are. She never left my side, which made me feel safe.

She alerted the doctor to my ‘respiratory distress’ and I was impressed with the response of all the staff when she said she needed help in my room. She explained things so that I understood, which people don’t understand. This is calming because then I know what is actually going on and can speak up for myself after. The doctor wanted to put a breathing mask on me, which made me very anxious. Nicole was able to calm me down again. I could never wear a mask on my face to help me breathe, and the doctor kept bringing it up. Should I have come in earlier than I did? Absolutely, but Nicole didn’t make me feel bad about my decisions either. You can tell she genuinely cares about people, and it was enlightening to see a kind, smiling face greet you despite being overwhelmed with patients and such. She routinely checked in with me while I was in the ER to make sure that I didn’t need anything, and she wasn’t even the nurse assigned to me. Nicole went above and beyond to offer comfort, compassion, and empathy, all while being professional and positive. Don’t let her go, you have a good one.