My son, D, was a patient in the MICU. Sadly, like many other young adults, he battled addiction for much of his life. He died as a result of an unintentional overdose. I am writing this DAISY Award nomination to honor one of his nurses, Faith. While all of the nurses were outstanding, Faith outshined them all for us.

There are many outstanding and amazing things about Faith. I am a DNP with over 40 years of nursing experience, and while her clinical care is superb, it is her heart that shines most brightly. Faith definitely embodies the core values of nursing. In the words of Florence Nightengale, she used her brain, heart and hands to create a healing environment that cares for the mind, body and spirit. Faith treated our son as a person, not as an addict. Never did she seem hurried or frustrated in caring for him. Her critical thinking kept his body going as we moved through the organ donation process. Faith is an expert communicator, She kept us well informed and educated on all aspects of his care. She was the consummate professional, yet her caring heart came through in every touch and every word. Faith's gentle hands provided comfort to D even though he theoretically could not experience discomfort secondary to his anoxic brain injury. Her gently caring hands communicated to D and to us that nursing is not just a job to her, it is her calling. She spoke to him as a person, without judgment, without making anyone feel shame. Faith treated him with a holistic approach that went well beyond numbers on a monitor or lab results. She attended to his dignity as a human and his spirit. She fostered time for us to pray together as a family, making sure that love and respect were the main focus of care.

Faith also attended to us as a family. She made sure we were supported in our decision-making and that we took time to care for ourselves in the midst of our grief. Every request was attended to, whether it be for coordination of visitors, bringing a comfort cart, or helping us understand the value D brought to the world despite his addiction journey. She listened quietly, gave hugs as appropriate, and was often simply present. Exactly what we all needed.

The interesting fact, which we did not learn for a couple of days, is that Faith is a new graduate nurse still on orientation. As a nurse myself with decades of experience, I never once felt she was less than an expert. When one describes a nurse, Faith embodies it all. Courage, compassion, caring, communication, and critical thinking. We are honored Faith was our son's nurse and we could not have made this very difficult journey without her. Well done good and faithful servant. You made a difference for one patient and one family, and I am confident you will continue to make a difference for many others. Thank you!