I'm a nurse on 7 North and my son J was born at 28 weeks. Courtney was one of his primary nurses on day shift. She took care of him the first 4 days of his life and we quickly got attached. We were so overwhelmed and terrified for our son, but Courtney took the time to explain every tube, line, alarm, monitor, etc. She was comforting and reassuring and helped prepare us for what to expect next.
Courtney encouraged us to participate in his care right away, taking temperatures and changing diapers. She helped me build the courage and confidence to do kangaroo care for the first time despite my anxiety and fears. She stayed in the room with me just in case he had an event so that I could relax and enjoy our time together. She even took pictures for me to help capture the moment. Courtney is very caring, compassionate, and thoughtful.
One day I was showing her footprint crafts on Pinterest that I wanted to do with J. The next shift she came in with special markers and paper so that we could do them together. The activity was fun and a great distraction for me with everything else going on with him. I will cherish these keepsake footprints forever. Courtney was with us throughout our entire 3-month NICU stay and played such an important part in J's journey. We will never forget everything she did for our family.