I had the pleasure of working closely with Amy over the course of 4 shifts in the care of a young, very sick patient with a recent new diagnosis which was particularly devastating to the family. I watched Amy meticulously care for both the patient and the family over the course of 4 intense shifts in the CCU. She went above and beyond to not only provide excellent, compassionate care to the patient but also to communicate effectively with the family and provide comfort to them during a very distressing time.

I met with the family daily over the course of about a week and a half, and almost every time our conversation ended with, “Our nurse Amy has been amazing. We feel like our loved one listens to her better than us!” They placed so much trust in Amy and I know they were so grateful for her kind and compassionate care (because they told me this daily!) Towards the end of the hospitalization, I watched as they continued to rely on Amy as things took a turn for the worse. This was not her assigned patient for the day—but she still was caring for the family and invested in what was happening.

Coming from a previous ICU nurse myself, I know just how difficult and grueling four back-to-back shifts can be especially when a patient is critically ill and the family is emotional and struggling. I hope this nomination aids in recognizing the great work nurses, especially critical care nurses, do day in and day out providing competent and compassionate care for high-acuity patients in an emotionally charged environment. It’s a tough job, and it's one that I witnessed Amy do with such grace and compassion. She fully embodies all of NGHS’ core values of deep interdependence, respectful compassion, responsible stewardship, and passion for excellence. Thank you, Amy, for your amazing work with this patient and family. I am honored to work alongside you- you deserve every bit of this recognition!