Kimberly brightly demonstrated the nobility of the nursing profession. I developed a pleural effusion post-open-heart surgery. I had to go back to the ICU to receive a pigtail chest tube thoracentesis. It was the worst pain I have ever experienced; the reaction was visceral. Kimberly was one of the nurses in the ICU assisting the doctor, but when she noticed I was struggling and crying she came over and held both of my hands and talked softly to me at eye level while I was leaning over the side table. I am a nursing professor and I have often wondered if hand holding really works. I have held many hands in my nursing career and never really knew how much it means to the patient until I needed those blessed hands of a nurse. Kimberly was beyond kind, caring, and compassionate, she distracted me from the pain by giving me her presence and undivided attention. Kimberly showed me the art and science of nursing and I will take that treasure with me in the classroom of my future students as I explain to them sometimes it is not the technical skill, they need to perform, it is simply the caring act of holding a trembling hand.