As first-time adoptive parents who learned about our baby just one day after his birth, we were incredibly fortunate to have Dionne as our NICU nurse. While all nurses in the NICU provided excellent care, Dionne distinguished herself with her unwavering focus on preparing us for long-term success with our son, L. Dionne created a meaningful connection with our family by combining her skills, experience & people skills to help transform us from nervous new parents to confident caregivers. She thoughtfully guided us through the essentials, diaper changes, feeding, burping, & bathing, using an expert teaching approach. For each task, she would first demonstrate proper technique, then encourage us to practice offering constructive feedback and practical tips for improvement. Her patient-centered approach reflected a deep understanding that everything she taught us directly impacted L's well-being. As educators ourselves, we recognized in Dionne the qualities of an exceptional teacher: patience, expertise, experience, honesty, and compassion. She consistently delivered the highest standard of care while maintaining a gentle demeanor, addressing our son as "sir" and using appropriate humor to ease our new parent anxiety. Dionne's greatest contribution was empowering us as parents. Rather than simply performing care tasks herself, she invested time in building our competence and confidence. She made a lasting difference in L's life by ensuring his parents are well-prepared for his care. Her commitment to both immediate medical needs and long-term family success exemplifies nursing excellence.