I was admitted to the hospital for the first time in my life for something life-threatening. I had never been more afraid. When I arrived at 2 ELL, Austin was there to greet me with such a warm presence. My spirits had been down, and he allowed me to vent, in spite of having multiple patients. He took the time to listen and made me feel like I was his only patient.

I think a lot of times, health care workers focus only on the “health” aspect of a patient. What people don’t understand is that the psycho-social aspect matters more at times. Austin was attentive. He advocated for me, and I felt like I could rely on him in my darkest hour. That is what nursing is. I am so grateful that he was my nurse during my stay on 2 ELL, and I’d like to ask that he be recognized for his extraordinary care.