Nichol is a natural leader.

From the very first time I sat down with her to talk about my capstone clinical, she had all things printed off and ready to go. She had questions about my goals, my learning style, and what roles/responsibilities I have as a student nurse. I knew she was going to be a great preceptor as soon as that thirty-minute meeting was over.

She took responsibility for my learning experience and wanted to partner with me to make it as productive as possible for me. Nichol listened well to me, communicating how I learn best. She would show me the way things were done, give me the opportunity to try them with her feedback, and then, from there (if I had the skill/task down), she would let me do it independently.

She is great at balancing the tension between being a resource and a teacher without being overbearing. She let me figure rhythms out that worked best for me as a learning nurse, but was always there to offer feedback and input on what has worked best for her in her nursing career.

A big part of our role as preoperative nurses is starting IVs. My first day of clinical, I watched her and other nurses start the IVs to get an understanding of the different ways to do them. Nichol asked me how I was feeling about starting my own on day two. I told her I felt really good.

I remember her asking me to go grab the IV start materials and then telling me with confidence, "You got this, just go in there and act like you know exactly what you are doing!"

We walked into the patient's room, she stayed by the computer asking the patient history questions, while I pretended like I had started an IV before, but really, this was my first patient! She was right there in case I needed anything, but she stood back to let me walk through the process on my own. I got the IV.

I will never forget this experience because it really challenged me and made me have an increase in confidence in my abilities. I also realized how beneficial that was for the patient. The patient had no idea I was a first-time IV starter, and they didn't need to know! For the sake of the patient's anxiety, Nichol knew exactly the purpose of giving me a little pep talk and then just walking into that room with full confidence. And I did it!

Nichol has a heart of belief and sees the potential in people, not just me as her student, but all her teammates. I not only learned how to be a great nurse from her, but also how to work well with a team.

The dynamic of the surgery center is very team-oriented. Everyone is working together to get patients in and out, and there are a lot of moving parts that need to be managed well. Nichol is always asking where she is needed and checking in on teammates to make sure there are no gaps that need to be filled.

If there is a quiet moment on the preoperative side of things, Nichol will find a bay that needs to be set up, a nurse that needs a set of hands in GI, or a drawer that needs restocking.

Nichol is also a natural people person. We started our days bright and early at 5 am, and she always had a smile on her face and was full of joy the moment she stepped into the surgery center. I don't remember a morning coming in and hearing complaints or negativity. She was always bringing great energy to the early days.

This energy seeped into the patients' rooms and brought joy to patients' faces despite their reasons for needing to have surgery done.

Nichol deserves to be recognized and honored for her love for the nursing profession. Her passion is being passed to the next generation of nurses, and I am so grateful for it.

Thank you, Nichol.