Tiffany Le, 32, has been a nurse since 2017. Still, she says she learns something new every day. That’s part of the territory when it comes to this field. 

Le is a West Roxbury resident and works on the Lunder 6 Neuro Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Massachusetts General Hospital. She started in the unit in 2020, wrapping up her orientation in March — just when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the US. 

Rather than the brain injuries she was accustomed to from previously working in the intermediate care unit, she was thrust into the world of intubated patients with COVID-19. Especially in the early days of the pandemic, these patients couldn’t have family by their sides. Nurses like Le stepped in to do their very best, offering support and compassion in place of loved ones.

Even post-pandemic, it’s not an easy role by any means. It can be mentally and physically demanding. The patients in the neuro unit are typically acutely sick or injured, often unable to communicate, and each case varies immensely. But when patients come back to visit after they have recovered and are doing better, it reminds Le why she became a nurse. “They’ll come and say, ‘I remember your voice,’ or they’ll thank me though I expect none,” she says with a smile across her face. 

She says that providing care is a team effort. “My coworkers are awesome, the fellow amazing nurses, the doctors, [occupational therapists], [physical therapists], secretaries, housekeepers, everyone. It’s the dedication and teamwork of so many people working together,” she says. They aren’t only helpful to the patients being cared for, but to each other. “Support from them helps me get through the hard days. We check in on each other.”

Her nominator, Mia Marchena, writes that Le not only helped her stay safe and took care of her during her time in the neuro unit at Mass General, pointing out a particular incident where she was out of bed and lost consciousness, but she also notes how she braided her hair after brain surgery and helped her feel a bit more “human” despite the position she was in. “Sometimes, the little things can go a long way in these vulnerable times in a patient’s life,” she writes. 

That’s a foundational part of Le’s perspective on nursing. While there are countless things she does as a nurse, between patient monitoring, administering medication, and so much more, her favorite part of it is making connections with the patients. “I like to hear people’s stories. Young, old, whoever. I love to talk to them and their families.” 

It’s what keeps her going. To be a nurse, “you have to love what you’re doing. It’s a demanding job, and it’s hard to do it without passion.”  And passion, she has plenty of. 

Tiffany’s nominator letter

Tiffany showed compassion and excellent safety awareness during my time under her care. I was in the neuro ICU following brain surgery, and being a young adult with half my head shaved, she was kind enough to braid my hair to make me feel just a little more human! Sometimes, the little things can go a long way in these vulnerable times in a patient’s life. 

The most important interaction with her was when I wasn’t feeling well during a time I was out of bed; I lost consciousness, and she caught me during this syncope episode. I am grateful for her awareness and ability to keep me safe. I thank not only her but the entire nursing staff on Lunder 6 at MGH for the compassionate care, expertise, and skill they demonstrate each and every day.

Nominated by Mia Marchena