Michelle knows that undergoing cancer surgery is one of the most stressful events in patients’ lives. Before Covid-19 intervened, Michelle was a leader in a program that allowed patients to tour perioperative areas before their own procedure. When that became impossible, Michelle came up with an alternative: Now patients can scan a QR code that takes them through an interactive video that shows them what to expect and answers common questions. This has led to a decrease in surgical wait times, and an increase in patient satisfaction, as patients and their families have better understanding and fewer unanswered questions. 

Michelle’s goal is to provide a holistic sense of comfort in the PACU, and she ran a pilot program that showed the effectiveness of aromatherapy to treat post-operative nausea; it was so successful that she was able to roll the program out institution-wide. She is now turning her attention to testing a deep breathing and guided meditation program to avoid the pain and anxiety of IV sticks. She has a never-give-up attitude, and is always focused on making the patient as comfortable as possible through their surgical treatment. 

Michelle’s care is so impactful that one family member was inspired to become a nurse herself after their loved one was Michelle’s patient.Â