Mary Ellen Watkins was our NICU nurse for much of our 4-week stay. As our daughter, K, came to us 6 weeks early, it was a very trying time for us emotionally and Mary Ellen was critical in getting us through it. She brought a very calming influence on my wife who spent nearly 12 hours a day every day in the room with our daughter. Mary Ellen combined an excellent bedside manner with straight forward medical advice regarding our daughter and how we could care for her. She constantly reinforced our belief that everything would be okay regardless of the day-to-day successes and setbacks.
On top of the medical advice, Mary Ellen also made a point to encourage my wife to get out of the hospital, making it very apparent that she was not only a caretaker for infants but also a caretaker for the "big people." While the entire staff at Women and Infants should be commended for the work they do every day, I honestly don't know how we would have done it without her. My wife and I cannot only say that Mary Ellen is a great nurse, but we also feel as though we have gained a great friend for life. In our opinion, she is more than deserving of the DAISY Award.