Joann Coffman 2024, RN

This is the story of how a nurse changed our lives. My father was admitted to the hospital for a few serious issues. It was a chaotic few days, with an uneasy future ahead. Then, sent by angels, we were blessed with our nurse Joann. I struggled to find words to describe how amazing she was to my father and to our family. She helped us find clarity, joy, hope, patience, and strength to weather this storm we were not handling well. This nurse made absolutely sure my father was being taken care of in exactly the way he should be. We knew she had other patients; we knew she was busy, but once she stepped foot in that room, she became family to us. The day my father was scheduled to be discharged, this nurse knew she would be off duty when he did leave. She picked a nurse she knew would treat us with the same kindness and patience. When she rounded with the next shift, she said to them, "this is what it's all about, open your hearts tonight". Before she left for the night, she came in and said her goodbyes and well wishes, we all had tears in our eyes, like saying goodbye to long distance family. To our nurse: If you ever read this, just know, you have a crazy Italian family out in the world that adores you!