and we all know that our lives and our patients lives were expanded by knowing them, and diminished ever so slightly by their loss.

always way too soon to lose you. I hope whatever you needed to be out there for you, was there. Maybe even something better. To all of those nurses that have lost peers, honor them as you know best, love their memories, remember all the good and bad times that you have held together...

can do this" is gone. There is an emptiness there. Yes, someone will fill their spot. Another team member, another peer. But it's not the same. They stand just a little different, their smile is carried by the eyes instead of the lips, little things.
To all those peers I have lost, thank you. It is

skilled, compassionate, powerful people will be beside us. We 'know' that we are not alone.
But sometimes... what we know is wrong. Sometimes that person isn't going to come in again. . They are ripped from our lives, from our team. That comforting smile that once looked at you to let you know "We

that make us question our faith... or lack of. We've seen things we can't explain, don't want to try to explain, things that everything we know tells us couldn't happen. We 'know' they will be there tomorrow for us when that code rolls in the door. We 'know' that when we fight that fight, these

A newborn, a teenager, a college student, a business person, a parent, grand parent... all of them are mortal. But our peers... we look at differently. After all, we've laughed in the face of death together. We've claimed back the lives of so many. We cried tears of joy and pain, and we seen things

When we lose these peers, for whatever reason, when their lives are the ones that slip away instead of these strangers... it's devastating. Of all people, we know that there are no guarantees in life. We know that illness, trauma, external and internal forces, genetics and bad luck can find anyone.

loved one that isn't in that area what it's like to watch a life slip from your hands... they may be devastated, but they can't really see, can't really understand how that can be a personal failure, how it can affect us each so deeply. Our peers know. They are with us this entire time.

our loved ones, in more stressed situations, fighting tooth and nail to do what we do best... to care for, to show love and compassion, to heal strangers.
When they are there, we recognize that. We may or may not say it, we may or may not show it, but we need these people around us. Explaining to a

The person beside us though during this... isn't a family member of the patient, or family member of our own. Beside us is a peer. Another nurse, a doctor, a tech, a huc... perhaps the environmental services staff member that came in to sweep. We spend more time with these people then we do our

that we don't know when they walk in our doors. We care for them as family, as loved ones, we do everything we can to ensure that they heal. Those that don't, we offer that love and support to their families, showing them a side of humanity that I feel is far too frequently forgotten about today.

I saw another healthcare professional that touched the lives of those that I know died today. I've had far too many that I have personally known die as well.
We spend our days, our nights, our lives... caring for others. People