Britanie deserves this award because of the exceedingly kind way she goes about her work with patients at Aurora BayCare in Green Bay. My sister was transferred to Aurora in Green Bay on a Friday evening. She had to come by ambulance because she couldn't walk. Needless to say, everyone was extremely worried and scared. Adding to the situation is the fact that my sister and her husband are both deaf, so communication is not easy. My sister's closest family members live about an hour away, so she also was alone for part of the time. Being scared, alone and not able to communicate is not a nice feeling when you also are in excruciating pain and don't know what's going on.

All the nursing staff has been kind, compassionate, patient and understanding as they minister to her physical needs and calm our fears. Britanie stood out for me because of the way she talked to each of us and repeatedly explained the upcoming surgery, discussed the doctor's excellent qualifications, and offered reassurance. I noticed she did this with other patients and family as well.

I was especially grateful for the way she (and the others) talked directly to my deaf relatives, always making them the focus of the conversations. All too often in our lives, professionals talk to the hearing people in the room, often treating my sister and her husband as if they aren't there or can't be bothered to help them understand. Britanie arranged for a sign-language interpreter to be available for my family. She, or one of the other nurses, would also be in the room during doctor visits and would help explain or clarify what the doctors were telling them.

Most of all, she ALWAYS has a smile and cheery word for the patients. Just knowing she's working on a given day makes the day a little brighter. I am so grateful she came into our lives for this brief time. I will remember her kindness long after my sister recovers. She truly inspires me and I've noticed I'm smiling at others more these days, too.