It's difficult to narrow down Tommy's exceptional nursing care with just one example. Last night, I was sitting in my office and overheard Tommy asks the charge RN where a certain patient was. This patient had been on the unit for an extended amount of time. The patient loves being outdoors and sunflowers; however, being in the hospital has stripped her of these luxuries. At the time, Tommy was holding a beautiful blanket covered in sunflowers. He asked where the patient had been moved and was told she was off the unit. The charge nurse asked what he was holding. Tommy simply stated he knew she liked sunflowers, so on his day off (during Christmas), he picked up a gift and wanted to deliver it to her.

The charge nurse and several others commented on how kind that was; Tommy didn't bask in the praise and cut the conversation short to ask what room she was in. He delivered the blanket to the patient on another unit and never spoke of the event again. I just happened to overhear this exchange of events from down the hall. The patient he got this gift for has had no visitors during her stay and has frequent bouts of confusion. I can only imagine the joy she experienced from this thoughtful gift.

Last week, Tommy received two C-I-Care cards: One reads, "My husband and I are absolutely blown away with the level of care and support Tommy provided K last night. We think Tommy is the best nurse we have had across the 3 weeks my husband was hospitalized at Stanford as Tommy goes above and beyond in all duties and roles as a nurse. My husband could not stop talking about how he felt so cared for by Tommy's genuine compassion and detail-oriented professionalism. Tommy always comes in with a bright smile and a warm personality to help put us at ease during these stressful times. We really appreciate how he takes the initiative and makes us feel like he is taking care of a close friend or family.

For example, he noticed my husband's saline rinse was running low and brought another one for him to have in advance. He is always quick to respond when K has a need of any kind with a positive and kind attitude. Tommy also keeps everything clean and neat, which we particularly appreciate given that my husband's immune system is weak right now. Tommy is also very thorough in answering any questions we have, giving us helpful advice like taking a walk/doing mouth care, and covering his Hickman line for showers.

Additionally, we see him treating his fellow nurses and NAs with such joy and respect. Even when we express our gratitude, Tommy mentions that he is only doing what a nurse should do and I think that speaks volumes about his character and passion for his job. From the small things to the big, we are so grateful to have a nurse like Tommy who truly goes above and beyond. We become so happy whenever we hear that Tommy will be K's nurse! Thank you, Tommy, from the bottom of our hearts — we really appreciate all your amazing care, more than words can say."