I had ACDF surgery. After surgery, I was placed in a room. I was in a lot of pain and feeling pretty bad from the anesthesia. I had a terrible headache and was just overall miserable. A young man came in to introduce himself as my nurse for the evening. He was kind and asked if I needed anything, and of course I needed pain and nausea medication.

 As the night went on, he continued to check on me, and my symptoms continued to get worse; the meds weren’t working, and he could tell. He was doing everything to make me comfortable. Around 3:30 a.m. I threw up so much. I called the nursing station, and he came right away. Without hesitation, he began cleaning me up. It was all over me, my hair, my bed, my gown. I was feeling so bad. That was the quickest and easiest bed change I have ever known, with absolutely no discomfort to me, considering I had just had spine surgery.

He did not go get a dry shampoo cap; instead, he ran a container of warm water and washed my hair. No one came to help him, and he did not ask for help. I felt clean and better. I asked him to please call my husband, and he did. A little after 7:00 a.m. I threw up another incredible amount. I believe first shift had arrived by then, but when Pavel heard that I had thrown up again, he again came and changed my bed and my clothes. I know you must be thinking, why am I nominating a nurse for this? I felt too bad to tell Pavel, but I wasn’t just a patient; I am a teammate.

I am a retired police officer who works as a PSA at another Atrium facility. All too often, I see nurses read the doctors’ orders and distribute meds to patients as if that’s their only job. While the majority of nurses do this very well, it lacks any resemblance to truly caring for a patient. What Pavel did was make sure I knew he was there and would be there for me all night. He gave me trust; he never acted like I was a burden when I called for him.

Yes, he did give me my meds, but he went so far beyond that. He gave me comfort and calmness. He allowed me to keep my dignity in a very vulnerable and embarrassing state. I honestly saw humanity, humility, and a very special kind of humbleness in this young man that I rarely see in today’s society. I cannot find the words to tell you how much this young man did for me at my weakest moments, but I can put into words to tell you how he made me feel.

He made me feel cared about, and he made me feel heard. This nurse is an exemplary example of the care that healthcare professionals sometimes lack. He truly should be a role model to all. Anyone can read an order, but truly caring for your patients is a personality trait. Please do what you can to recognize, award, and appreciate this rare gem.