I already went in there when I didn’t want to, but my family made me do so due to pain up and down my arms and numbness in my fingers. They were concerned, so I stopped procrastinating and went in, and I thank God that I went in when Jennifer was working; she was amazing.

I went from dreading the visit and wanting to get out of there as soon as possible to not even thinking about rushing to leave because of her. I don’t think I have ever had a nurse like her, and I’ve had two children. To go to the emergency room and get Jennifer as my nurse made the whole visit worthwhile from the moment she came out and got me from the hallway.

She was super sweet, very concerned about what was going on, and careful to truly listen. I’m also a hard person to find a vein for an IV, and she told me that if she couldn’t get it the second time, she would have someone else come in because she didn’t want to keep poking me. Even though I told her I didn’t mind, she still cared enough to be considerate about it — and of course, because she’s amazing, she got it.

I think she could sense that I didn’t want to be there, but she kept talking to me and helping me feel comfortable. She noticed things about me, like my Harry Potter tattoos, and started having a genuine conversation with me about them and how her husband is obsessed with Harry Potter. We talked for a long time while she drew my blood, took my vitals, brought me blankets, made sure I was comfortable, and even turned the lights off because I fell asleep.

She was great every step of the way. Not once did she lose patience with me, and not once did she do the bare minimum and disappear. She kept coming back to check on me, making sure I was comfortable and had everything I needed. She didn’t have to keep talking to me like we had known each other for years, but she did.

She is just a great, great person — not just a nurse. I can tell she truly loves her job and genuinely cares about people. I’m 32 years old, and I have never had an encounter with a nurse like I did today with Jennifer. I would not be sitting here writing this if I didn’t believe she was worthy of this award. She absolutely deserves it.

Never in my 32 years have I met a nurse who made me feel so welcome, comfortable, and cared for instead of just feeling like another patient. Being an astounding nurse takes more than just knowing the medical side of the job — it takes compassion, a giant heart, and the ability to connect with people and make them feel safe. Jennifer is that person one hundred percent, and that is why she deserves this award.

Munson Healthcare Charlevoix is extremely lucky to have her on their team. They are going to have a lot of happy patients, I promise you that. She even asked me to give my bearded dragon a little kiss on the top of his head for her when I got home.

By the time I was ready to leave, she made sure I had all my paperwork for work and my doctor and made sure I wasn’t returning to work until the next day. I actually asked her for her full name because I wanted it for this nomination and pointed to the sign on the wall about nominating someone. At first she didn’t realize what I meant, but once she understood why I wanted her last name, she was completely taken aback.

She couldn’t believe I actually wanted to nominate her, and she gave me a huge hug. She thought I was joking, but I absolutely was not. Knowing how much this means to her fills my heart. She is so humble and kind, and recognizing her would not be a mistake at all — it would be incredibly well deserved.

Thank you, Jennifer, for the BEST emergency room visit I have ever had!