Alena went above and beyond for my mom and me. My mom had open heart surgery on a Friday, and Alena was her day nurse for the four days that my mom was in the SICU. I had driven down from Chicago to be with my mom, and this was the first time I had any dealings with Thomas Hospital and its staff. My mom was elderly, confused from the surgery, and scared. Alena was so sweet with her. She would continuously reassure my mom that she was okay, what procedure she had, and where she was. When mom was agitated, she would play her music and find ways to make her comfortable, all the while she was tweaking meds and machines to help with her care. She explained everything she did and what was going on in detail. She was super knowledgeable and extremely caring, and very seldom left my mom's side. She made me feel as if my mom was in the best care, and she gave me all the information needed to make decisions about my mom's care. Unfortunately, my mom's body wasn't strong enough to continue, and I had to make decisions that no child should have to make. Alena stood by us, talked with me about every option available, made my mother comfortable, and showed the utmost respect and care for both of us. She stayed with us until the end, even staying past her shift. Her intelligence and knack for compassion and empathy make her an exceptional nurse.