I was recently in the hospital for a long and rather difficult surgery. After the surgery, I was transferred to the PACU, where Gina was my nurse. For the first several hours, the medications they administered in the surgical area made me very comfortable. Throughout this time, Gina came to my bedside regularly and spoke with me, my husband, and my daughter.

She checked with us constantly to make sure things were going well. After my family left, I drifted off to sleep. In a few hours, I woke in an immense amount of pain. Gina was immediately at the bedside assuring me not only through words, but a very calming touch on my arms and shoulders that she had administered pain medications. That skin-to-skin contact is such a calming and assuring gesture to patients in extreme pain.

Gina stayed right at my bedside, monitoring how I was doing. When I was not responding to that medication, she immediately called for further help, yet she never left me alone and kept that calming presence at my bedside. As this new medication began to ease the pain, Gina let me sleep. When I awoke, the medications left me very disoriented. Gina was again right at my bedside, assuring me with her presence and calming touch that everything was ok and she was keeping close track of my progress and levels of pain. Gina exemplifies everything this award seeks to recognize. She is an exemplary nurse and a caring human.