May 2026 Honoree
Karlie Pennington, RN
I am a 64 year-old, recently retired nurse practitioner, and nursing instructor with a 35 year career in nursing.
My arrival time is 12 PM with a scheduled surgery at 2:30 PM; however, I was not taken to the operating room until 5 PM. As an experienced nurse, I fully understand the necessity of triage and prioritizing more critical patients. While I accepted the delay, each passing minute increased my anxiety exponentially.
I will also candidly acknowledge that I am not always the easiest patient. I am detail-oriented, I value accountability, and I am highly attuned to my own somewhat complex health needs. I ask questions, I follow up, and I seek a sense of control in situations where control is limited. In short, I can be a handful.
With that context, meeting Karlie was an extraordinary experience. From the moment she greeted me in the waiting room with a warm smile and introduced herself, her presence was immediately reassuring. Her tone, her demeanor, and her kindness felt like a genuine embrace.
Over the course of five hours, Karlie consistently provided reassurance that I was in capable hands, that I had not been forgotten, and that my care team was highly confident. While she could not offer food or water due to preoperative restrictions, she anticipated other needs, bringing warm blankets and even encouraging my husband to take care of himself during the long wait.
Karlie answered every question thoughtfully and ensured that my concerns, particularly regarding preoperative labs, were clearly communicated to the anesthesia team. At no point did she make me feel difficult or burdensome, despite my awareness that I likely was.
She also struck a remarkable balance between professionalism and human connection. When invited, she shared small aspects of herself while maintaining appropriate boundaries and graciously engaged with us as we shared photos of our grandson.
When I teach my students about nursing, I emphasize that caregiving is a profound privilege. Nurses are invited into some of the most intimate, vulnerable, and meaningful moments in a person's life. It is an honor, one that requires not just clinical confidence, but deep compassion and humanity. Nursing is not about titles or compensation; it is about a genuine commitment to caring for others.
Karlie embodies these values. She is kind, competent, and compassionate, an exceptional combination that is not easily found.
My arrival time is 12 PM with a scheduled surgery at 2:30 PM; however, I was not taken to the operating room until 5 PM. As an experienced nurse, I fully understand the necessity of triage and prioritizing more critical patients. While I accepted the delay, each passing minute increased my anxiety exponentially.
I will also candidly acknowledge that I am not always the easiest patient. I am detail-oriented, I value accountability, and I am highly attuned to my own somewhat complex health needs. I ask questions, I follow up, and I seek a sense of control in situations where control is limited. In short, I can be a handful.
With that context, meeting Karlie was an extraordinary experience. From the moment she greeted me in the waiting room with a warm smile and introduced herself, her presence was immediately reassuring. Her tone, her demeanor, and her kindness felt like a genuine embrace.
Over the course of five hours, Karlie consistently provided reassurance that I was in capable hands, that I had not been forgotten, and that my care team was highly confident. While she could not offer food or water due to preoperative restrictions, she anticipated other needs, bringing warm blankets and even encouraging my husband to take care of himself during the long wait.
Karlie answered every question thoughtfully and ensured that my concerns, particularly regarding preoperative labs, were clearly communicated to the anesthesia team. At no point did she make me feel difficult or burdensome, despite my awareness that I likely was.
She also struck a remarkable balance between professionalism and human connection. When invited, she shared small aspects of herself while maintaining appropriate boundaries and graciously engaged with us as we shared photos of our grandson.
When I teach my students about nursing, I emphasize that caregiving is a profound privilege. Nurses are invited into some of the most intimate, vulnerable, and meaningful moments in a person's life. It is an honor, one that requires not just clinical confidence, but deep compassion and humanity. Nursing is not about titles or compensation; it is about a genuine commitment to caring for others.
Karlie embodies these values. She is kind, competent, and compassionate, an exceptional combination that is not easily found.
Thank you, Karlie, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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