A patient, AJ, was upset one day and just seemed down. When his day shift nurse, Monica, asked why, he told her it was prom night at his high school and he had been on the committee that raised funds and organized the whole event before his hospitalization. AJ really wanted to go to his prom. Monica texted Andrea Agosta, AJ's night shift nurse, to tell her AJ was feeling down because he was missing his prom. These nurses immediately began to rally the troops! They called all of the nurses they knew were working and started planning AJ's "PICU Prom."

With only 3 hours' notice, day and night shift nurses pulled together to set up a prom in the PICU conference room. They had decorations, cake, pizza, confetti, music and nurses in prom gowns! At 2100, Andrea (one of AJ's favorite nurses) changed into her prom dress and surprised AJ by asking him to escort her to prom in the conference room. His mom helped him into a nice button up shirt, supplied by another staff member, and crowned him prom king. The staff even made him a prom king sash.

The look on his and his mother's faces as they entered PICU prom made everyone involved remember what nursing is really about our patients and families! The spontaneity of it made the whole night that much better. The patient summed it up when asked about it afterwards by saying "I feel so special."