My mom was originally admitted into an emergency room and then moved to a patient room briefly before moving into the ICU. Unfortunately, she passed away within a few days of her original admittance into the ER. She had a long battle with illnesses, but what stood out to me was this RN Troy, a tall, strong man with kind eyes who really listens to his patient and their families. He was working nights; I think he would work wherever he was called to go. It sounded like he had nursed for many years. He was so attentive to Mom because before she even moved into the patient room, he had taken time to read her chart and history. I was surprised when he started listing off the things my mom had been through and really wanted to make her comfortable and cared for within his boundaries as a nurse.

He knew she wasn't doing well at all, and he even took the time to talk to my dad and me to see how we were and what he could do. I have been around a lot of nurses since my mom's first bout with a stroke 12 years ago, then cancer two times, and he was by far the most thoughtful, caring, attentive, sympathetic, and knowledgeable nurse I have come across. Now, even though it was a brief time with Troy, I knew he was someone who had a true gift, and I'm happy that he had found nursing because it seemed to suit him quite well. It took me a long time to nominate him, and for that, I'm sorry, but he really should be recognized for his amazing influence and high standard of nursing.