One day in September, Ian was my preceptor, and we were assigned to care for a patient undergoing a lung transplant workup. Her sister had flown in overnight from Alaska and was asleep in the room when we got the report.

Ian went above and beyond for her. He made calls to the doorways to get her a place to stay. He got her refreshments and some general care items to help freshen up, as she had been flying, with layovers, for hours. Ian showed the patient’s sister around the unit and gave her concise directions. He gave her a phone number to security to call if she needed an escort after hours or a shuttle to the doorways.

Ian also found out that the patient was a veteran. He relayed this information to the social worker to expedite insurance. Additionally, even though the patient was on the ventilator, he made sure to constantly thank her for her service. He figured out from the family what music she loved and made sure to play that too. The thoughtful gestures brought tears to the patient's sister’s eyes. Ian reminded everyone of the impact of compassionate, personalized care.