As a parent, my worst fear is that my kids will get sick. To make matters worse, I was not home when he got sick and went to the ER. I am the more empathetic/cuddly parent while my (wonderful) husband is more of a "rub some dirt on it" kind of parent. I was very worried all night until he sent me a picture. The photo he took was unscripted and completely raw. The nurse, Amanda, is holding my son like a worried, caring mother, and it put me at ease. While this may seem like something little, or even nothing to some, her obvious compassion meant everything to me. She could have simply "watched" him while his dad stepped out to the car, but she went above and beyond and "cared" for him. While you never want your child to be so sick they end up in the ER, this was a great place to be in our situation and we are grateful to everyone.
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Amanda Shay is more than an exceptional nurse and co-worker. She goes above and beyond on a daily basis with all patients and family members. Amanda has children of her own and she always gives extra attention to our pediatric population to decrease any anxiety they get while in our ED. We never know who's looking and how we affect our patients, their family, and our community until someone or something like this happens.