Everything has context, right? But the small sign to the left of the office door, "Clinical Nurse Educator" does not prepare anyone for the sensory overload they first experience when walking into Jennifer Turner's office at Greenville Hospital System's University Medical Center in Greenville, South Carolina. It isn't long after the senses sort through the arrangements of files and boxes of files from wall to wall and desk to desk that one realizes the tremendous depth of character and knowledge it must take to manage the demands of a position that is a part of the South Carolina University System. The irony of a small sign next to the office door is inescapable because to her the job of educator extends beyond a classroom. I could tell. I took the tour.

The Medical Center is building a new emergency department and Jennifer has had some suggestions, based in part from what was learned at the Triage Specialist Course. "You can stand here," she said, pointing to the desk where the triage nurses will be stationed, "and imagine looking straight across the room to the door only to have your view blocked by a tree" - (yes, that's correct, a tree - because the ceiling is mostly glass). Jennifer discovered another flaw in the design. "I'm short," she said, motioning toward a wall in the nurses' triage room, "but can you imagine trying to stretch to look out the window to the waiting room, trying to keep an eye on patients while you triage?" The window is about a foot too high to see the waiting room from the triage room. It's clear the room was designed so that the triage nurse can look over the patient's shoulder to the waiting room to see the patients seated there. (Those of you who have been through our course know about this.) It wasn't clear why the window ended up being so high, although I surmised when someone asked the architects to put a window in the wall they thought confidentiality - "the blinds will be there when the window is lowered", Jennifer was quick to add. The design and layout of the new emergency department is not only appealing and comfortable, it is patient-throughput focused and safety-featured. Nothing seems to have slipped by the nurses who have contributed their thoughts to the design, by management who has a high respect for nurses opinions and clearly understands their accountability to the community, and certainly not the least, the architects. Beautiful and practical would describe it. It certainly suits the spirit of the staff I met as well.

My tour guide, Jennifer, was greeted by many nurses who made comments about her teaching Triage First's Comprehensive Emergency Department Triage Course, as one of our Triage Specialist Course graduates. I was fortunate enough to meet with managers and some senior staff who were grateful for what the course taught her and how much she has contributed to the department's growth, which brings me to another point: Jennifer's course evaluations are replete with appreciation for her style of teaching and complimentary concerning the depth of expertise brought to their nurses through having Jennifer teach the course. You see, it was the evaluations that took me down there in the first place.

Jennifer was appreciative that I took the time to visit. To be honest with you, I didn't exactly make myself clear about why I was there in the first place, but now I can make it clear. I went there to see if the evaluations and comments being made from course participants were being transferred to improving patient care - you know where it all really matters most. I came away with more than I could have imagined and certainly knowledge about a nurse that we would be proud to feature here in our newsletter.

I think if there was something Jennifer would want me to say to you all, it would be that Jennifer is entirely about patient care, that her clinical brilliance (she wouldn't admit that) and hard work is because she actually, factually cares. Her love for patient care is what drives her excellence. She probably wouldn't say it for herself, but we know she's building a legacy in those walls and in the nurses there. Her presence will be felt in the community for decades to come.

Jennifer would tell you that her work is a blessing, that she loves what she does, and someone gives her money for it. It doesn't get any better than that. I know. I took the tour.