Our daughter immediately went to the NICU after I had an unexpected C-Section. Having a baby in the NICU was very stressful, and it meant a lot to have such great caregivers for B! One nurse stood out to my husband and me. Jessica in the special care nursery had B on several occasions and was the biggest blessing we could have asked for. Jess displayed examples of all your core values you hope your staff portrays every day and deserve to be recognized!

•Compassion: She was compassionate towards my husband and me during the difficult times seeing our sweet girl sick in the NICU. She really stood out because she did not only take such fantastic care of B, but she would check on my husband and me mentally as well. She would make sure we were ok with a few setbacks with B and her breathing. She was great at reassuring us that she was in good care and where she needed to be. Having a nurse who makes you feel comfortable even on the roughest days makes a huge impact!

•Accountability: She was accountable for B every day she had her. She made sure she knew everything about B, from her regular feeding schedule, to what nipple she did best on during her feedings and so much more. She invested her time into studying her patients and making sure she care for them the best she could... Not only her patients but the other babies around as well.

•Respect: She displayed much respect for us as new parents and made sure we were comfortable at all times of the day. Simple things like getting us cups of water as soon as we got there to make sure we were comfortable breastfeeding or simply changing her diaper. She wanted us to feel confident in what we were doing. She was also very respectful towards her staff members and always offered others a helping hand. Sitting back watching, she displayed the character of a team member that I would want working alongside me every day!

•Integrity: She showed integrity to us when she would promise to take great care of B and do all she would to keep her oxygen levels stable and make sure we knew everything that was going on or what we could do to help B get better. She also only spoke highly of her coworkers; I never heard her complain or talk ill about others which is a massive plus in the health care field. She is a very positive nurse, and you could tell she wanted to spread the positives vibes in such dark times for new parents. She is the perfect nurse to work in her unit.

•Teamwork: Jess ALWAYS helped other nurses with their babies in between caring for her own. She would make sure her team was safe and didn't need help before she would even think to sit down for a slight second to rest or, better yet, catch up on charting, which, as a nurse, I know is A LOT! She was one of the most prominent advocates for teamwork and would constantly offer a helping hand or word of advice or comfort.

Aside from your core values, there were a few more things Jess did that I would like to mention that stood out to me and made me want to write this letter about her care. From day 1, Jessica advocated for B and me. She did not treat me as a nurse. She would say politely, "Yes, Mom, I know you are a nurse but…" and would explain what was going on. I did not have to ask her to treat me like a new Mom; she automatically did. To me, that meant to the world. From that moment, my husband and I knew B would be in great hands with her, and I trusted her with my daughter wholeheartedly!

Another meaningful thing was how she would not make me feel guilty about not being down there in the NICU all day, every day. She would remind me that I needed to be rested and healthy for her too. So, I would call down several times a day when I would be up in my room to check on Bethany, and she would take her time to explain her progress and answer any questions or concerns I had. She was a huge advocate for patient-centered care. She would make sure we were involved in every bit of her care. She knew breastfeeding was crucial to me, and she made sure I got to meet with the lactation nurses to work with B so we didn't get delayed. She would bring the doctors to round with us even if it was past rounds, so we were all on the same page. Little fine details she made sure we're covered, from teaching us how to do a primary temperature to feeding to expressing the importance of keeping up on personal and mental health.

All in all, Jess deserves to be recognized for the excellent, compassionate, trusting care she provided to our family. She displays all your values to her best ability, and you should be very proud she is part of your nursing staff. I can personally say we are forever grateful for her, and we will make sure our daughter knows what a great nurse cared for her for many, many days in the NICU. I want to end by saying Jess was not the only great nurse B had, but she made the biggest impression on us and made us so happy we delivered with you guys! She is a great advocate for your hospital and a great role model!