Samantha Leonard, BSN, RN
Tower 14AB Medical Intermediate Care Unit
In the five years since she became a registered nurse, Samantha Leonard has served as a compassionate advocate for her patients and their families, a resource for her colleagues and a dedicated preceptor and mentor for students and newly-licensed nurses.
“Right from the start, Sam showed compassion and maturity beyond her years,” wrote colleague Marian Fitzgerald, RN, a past honoree for the Essence of Nursing Award. “It is a tribute to Sam that she is respected and admired by both the newer nurses and senior nurses on our unit. She embodies what the future holds for us, and it is a bright light indeed.”
Leonard puts her patients and their families at the center of her practice and works to ensure they are always aware of the plan of care. Her nominators say that she makes each of her patients feel special.
“In clinical practice, Sam has cared for many difficult and challenging complex medical patients,” wrote nursing director Patricia Brita Rossi, MS, RN, in a letter of support. “She is a fierce advocate for her patients and family members and has on many occasions guided the care team in a different direction based on the desires of the patient. Her clinical skills excel and her compassion is always evident.”
During a particularly challenging case when a patient began to deteriorate, Leonard helped guide team members through difficult decisions about pain management and other comfort measures. The patient’s husband recognized her as a reliable advocate, saying, “Sam is our safe harbor, a calm port in a terrible storm. She has been with us every step of this journey.”
Dedicated to teaching students and precepting newly-hired nurses, Leonard is a clinical instructor in the BWH/UMass Dedicated Educational Unit program on 14AB through which she teaches two junior nursing students while caring for a patient on a 12-hour shift. “Sam challenges people’s thinking and focuses all attention on the patient and family members,” said Sarah Bifulco, RN, who nominated her for the Essence of Nursing Award. “She is great at providing feedback to both students and novice nurses and many staff seek her out for her opinion on practice.”
Leonard began at BWH as a patient care assistant while she pursued her BSN. After graduating from Sacred Heart University, she joined Tower 14AB as a registered nurse.