Brittany assumed primary care for a baby in the NICU with a short life expectancy, whose parents were unable to visit due to social issues. Brittany has provided an incredible amount of compassion and support to this baby. She held him, advocated for him, spoke sweetly to him, and was a calming force at his side when no one else was there to support and provide him with affection. Putting that amount of love and effort into a patient can be especially challenging to a nurse, knowing the inevitable outcome. When inpatient hospice care was initiated, Brittany came in on her day off to provide comfort care to this baby during his withdrawal of support. She has held and loved this baby since she first met him and today was no exception. At the end of his life, knowing his parents weren't here, she stayed with him until almost midnight and then returned at 4 am to help the nursing staff with his end-of-life SHARE package. The level of commitment and compassion Brittany has shown this patient is unmatched. She was able to provide him with the type of love that every baby deserves and typically gets from their birth families. Brittany was this baby's NICU mom, and she not only took great care of him while he was living but also while he was passing.

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I would like to nominate a compassionate, kind-hearted nurse that made a beautiful story out of horrible situation. Baby boy was born under unfortunate circumstances to a family broken from their strong addictions. After he was admitted to NICU the decision was made by Child Protective Services that the family would not be able to visit the baby or enter the NICU based on their past violent behaviors and substance abuse. During this time, his parents remained his medical decision-makers. Baby boy had a traumatic birth, that created a significate brain injury which led to complex medical needs. Along with his other medical needs, his brain injury made it difficult for him to not choke when his mouth was full of spit or food. Brittany admitted him and quickly made the decision to become his primary nurse. She saw the complex medical needs that she could confidently handle and beyond that, she saw a boy who needed her love. Throughout the nearly two months of his life, Brittany became the "Mom" he needed. Beyond his daily medical needs, she was seen providing clothes, bath supplies, celebrating the little victories in his day-to-day, and pouring her love into this little boy. Most importantly, Brittany was the voice this baby needed. She advocated for his medical needs, his social needs, and his need for comfort. She came up with ways that he could comfortably be held; we quickly saw his own love to be snuggled and cuddled. She made sure that he felt all the love that the NICU could offer. Beyond the compassion for baby boy, Brittany took the time and energy required to show compassion to his family. Each shift she took time to reach out to his family, sending an Angel Eye photo or trying to call with any updates in his care. She showed compassion to a family that many others were not able to. When medical interventions were starting to cause more suffering to him, Brittany advocated for a telehealth meeting with the family to make informed decisions about moving towards Hospice care. She rearranged her schedule, coming in and attending care meetings during her vacation, to make his last days on earth full of love and snuggles. When the parents chose to leave before baby boy passed away, Brittany then made sure that this baby was not alone. She made sure that he was being held and loved each moment until he was rocked into heaven. There was not a picture of more compassion than Brittany showed to baby boy, filling his entire life with the love he deserved.

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Brittany was a primary nurse for a baby in the intensive care nursery that had little family involvement due to a social situation. He suffered a traumatic brain injury at birth and the decision was made for in hospital palliative care. Brittany had loved and cared for this child during his entire stay at our hospital each time that she worked no matter the moral distress that it created. She advocated for him and bonded with him as she was his only constant. He had minimal family involvement and Brittany took it upon herself to purchase clothes, sound machines, bathing supplies, etc. for this tiny boy. Brittany came in on a non-scheduled day to care for him when he was actively passing and loved him through his transition. Her care and compassion for him were unparalleled. She made a significant difference in the short life of this little boy and it impacted our entire unit to see her care for him. She went above and beyond what was required and therefore deserves this nomination. I have never been so proud and humbled by this act of kindness and love.