My son has very special needs, and over the past few years we have learned to support him, advocate for him, and navigate the medical field. Recently, he underwent major surgery. I was terrified, as any parent in this situation would be. Kristen had just started her shift as my son's nurse for the evening when he suddenly became very agitated and started straining non-stop. Since he is non-verbal, he could not communicate with us how he was feeling. Kristen asked a lot of great questions and spent a lot of time understanding my son's condition to ensure she understood my son's normal baseline behavior and how this particular behavior was different.

Kristen stayed with us every step of the way, provided prompt updates, monitored his vitals, and tried to make our son comfortable. It was obvious to us that she really cared for our son - she cared for him as though he was her own child - and that really made a difference in his care that night. We want to specially thank Kristen for the wonderful care, compassion, and advocacy that she demonstrated that night. While all of the nurses during our stay were polite and professional, she really went the extra mile to ensure our son was comfortable and well cared for. Kristen respected the fact that as parents we know our son best, but as a medical professional, she was able to advocate for him in ways that we could not.