Nursing is truly a calling…a passion…in which we choose to help others physically, emotionally, and spiritually during their most joyous and most difficult times in life. In reflecting on the love a nurse has for her profession, this nurse is impossible to beat. When we see Nichole's name on the schedule, we know it is going to be a great shift, despite what difficulties or tense situations may arise. She is one you want to be in the trenches with, regardless of the department you are working in. Nichole is the definition of a DAISY Award winning nurse, as evidenced not only by the DAISY nominations she has received in the last three years, but for her continued dedication to her teammates, to improving patient care, and to upholding the GRHC Behavior Standards. This nurse possesses so many positive attributes! We could write a book!  Nichole is frequently matched with a nursing student to provide them with a 6–8-week preceptorship experience. She was recently described as “patient, thorough, and kind” by one of her nursing student preceptees. She puts others before herself. In her role as Certified Lactation Counselor.  She makes additional efforts to touch base with all breastfeeding moms to make sure they are receiving the education and support they need to be successful in their motherhood journey. She has a very caring heart; you will frequently see her coming in on her days off to meet with breastfeeding mamas to help them troubleshoot issues. She provides both the OB nurses and new moms with her personal cell phone number and encourages them to call with any questions regarding breastfeeding needs or issues. She has created a strong breastfeeding program for our OB department, from the ground up. In addition to providing lactation support, Nichole provides our Childbirth Education classes and has created numerous educational flyers and handouts for new moms and for nurses to use in breastfeeding education. She is not only a source of support and education for new moms, but also takes the time to sit down and educate our OB nurses on how to provide the best breastfeeding education to our patients. One of her current projects she initiated is streamlining prenatal education that is provided for OB patients being seen at our clinics to make sure we are providing helpful, thorough education so they are prepared once they reach the OB department to welcome their new baby. Empathy is an endearing quality you will find in Nichole. She can put herself in the shoes of others and empathizes with what they are going through. She treats everyone with respect and how she would want her loved ones to be treated. She seeks to understand and be open to diverse thoughts and perspectives as evidenced by being routinely mentioned by OB patients during rounds as going above and beyond to provide guidance with breastfeeding and newborn education. Nichole was described by one of her peers as: “Selfless when it comes to providing empathetic care to her patients and is the epitome of a passionate nurse,” as well as: “She has the remarkable ability to allow the patient to open up to her as she listens 110% to what they have to say so that she can provide the best care for them.” Another peer shared this observation of Nichole,: “I have witnessed countless times where she is able to diffuse a situation where a patient is frustrated and have them thanking her for her kindness and expert care by the end of their interaction.” In addition to her role as a Lactation Counselor, Childbirth Educator, Med Surg/OB/ER nurse, Preceptor and Charge Nurse, she is also a very active member of one of the RUT teams, the Ascenders. As part of this team, she worked with physicians to roll out RN/MD Patient Rounding as part of the Nursing Bundle, which has significantly enhanced communication between physicians, nurses, patients, and their families. An additional task she has taken on as part of the Ascenders is the creation of the positive hospital signage you can find throughout Grant Regional (aka Toilet Talk). The uplifting, inspirational signage she has thoughtfully created has been complimented so many times by her peers, and her focus on spreading positivity in the workplace is a testament to her good character and awareness of how one person’s actions/behaviors can impact another’s. We can all use those reminders, especially when there is a captive audience.  In 2023 Nichole took it upon herself to initiate the Med Surg Service Pillar Goal to have routine Chaplain rounding for our patients. She organized having a local Pastor come to our nursing in-service to educate staff on the role of a Chaplain. In 2024 she plans on continuing to move this initiative forward. She knows to provide exceptional care we not only need to focus on the physical wellbeing of our patients but need to incorporate spiritual health as well. She has dedicated her time caring for others and being away from her family to ensure patient safety is maintained. There was a recent situation in which she worked her normal 12-hour day shift but due to a call in, stayed and helped with patient care in OB until 10pm; then decided to sleep in an empty OB room due to a snowstorm and the employee call in. At 2:00 am, she was awakened abruptly from sleep to help with a Stat C-section, which is a medical emergency. She never questioned the situation and immediately jumped into action to assist her peers in caring for the mom and baby to ensure their safety and wellbeing. For Nichole to stay over her shift or come in early is not an uncommon occurrence because she places such a high value on patient care and safety and wants to help whenever possible. When we were down to a very limited number of OB nurses in the last three years, she jumped in to work extra shifts and became a mentor for new OB nurses in training. She is recognized time and time again for being a great preceptor and mentor for new hires and nurses cross-training to different departments. In closing, Nichole is truly a model nurse whom everyone respects, learns from, and admires. She is the kind of nurse you want to care for you and your family if ever in need. Her high-level skills, compassion for others, and passion for nursing is felt by her patients, as well as her peers. She inspires others to be their best and helps patients to feel well cared for and listened to. Nichole is a model DAISY nurse and a true blessing to the nursing profession