Miriam cared for a patient immediately post ECMO de-cannulation on 7NS MICU. In order for this patient to continue to recover appropriately, mobilization was needed.

While staffed over the weekend without supportive services like physical therapy available, Miriam took the initiative to coordinate a group of skilled nurses and respiratory therapists to mobilize this patient and prevent a backslide in progress.

She spent over an hour coaching this patient on bedside dangle, sitting to standing, followed by walking, all while still intubated! These efforts require mastery of ventilator and patient medication management as well as care coordination that goes above and beyond for the outcome of the patient.

When the patient was tired, Miriam allowed him to sit in a chair while she wheeled him to the big window at the end of the hallway to look outside, his first out-of-room experience in weeks. This massive feat helped the patient progress to extubation quicker and also had the family crying happy tears to see a light of hope after a long ECMO run that at one time did not look promising for recovery.

Miriam not only did what was best for the patient but also comforted the family and went above and beyond to ensure continued progression towards returning to a normal life outside of the hospital.

I am so inspired and proud to see that level of dedication, compassion, and skilled nursing among my colleagues, and I truly believe that his outcomes could have been different without these interventions by Miriam.