Part of what I have learned providing expert care in the NICU entails in anticipating the needs of not only the baby but also the baby's sleep-deprived, scared parents including myself. I was not at all surprised by Jeanne's meticulous attention to detail and expertise in tending to our baby. However, I was taken back by how effortless she integrated teaching moments for my husband and meanwhile caring for our baby. Before I knew it, Jeanne had taught us a more efficient and better way to bottle feed and how to burp our baby. She also did bath time with us and gauged perfectly how much to help without taking away from the special experience as this was our first time bathing our baby together as I had just been discharged from the ICU.
On nights when Jeanne had a moment to spare, she went the extra mile and stopped in to check on our family. Her passion for her job is both apparent and awe-inspiring, and her knowledge about premature infants never ceases to amaze me. During the multiple times, Jeanne came to check on us, her smile truly brightened my day and made me beyond grateful that she took the time to say hi. Seeing Jeanne's joy while holding my baby was heart-warming and genuine. Jeanne's approachable and laid-back demeanor made me feel like I had known her for years, not just a couple of weeks. I'll never forget how endearing it was to watch Jeanne care for our baby like she was a part of her family and hearing her call her cute nicknames like "sister".
Jeanne was one of our first nurses while in the NICU and set the bar rather high for every nurse we had after her. When I look back on this experience I will without a doubt remember Jeanne and how she made an awful situation bearable because I felt confident in her skills and her mere presence was a light to some of our darkest days.