Because my mom worked in the health care field and I always knew I wanted to help people, nursing was the obvious choice for me.

My biggest joy is sharing what I know with new nurses and watching them grow. I often precept and mentor new nurses in our critical care setting. I work closely with them for an extended period, and then celebrate as they flourish in our unit.

A 14-year-old girl needed a large-bore hemodialysis catheter placed emergently at the bedside. She was frightened and in severe respiratory distress from a hemorrhagic process in her lungs. The attending physician was concerned about intubating her and wanted to place the catheter with no sedation or pain medication. The girl was prepped and draped for the procedure, and I stayed under the drapes with her. I explained what was going on, and we held hands and sang Katy Perry songs....

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