We had the opportunity to work closely with Nicole Bruegger as our son’s night shift primary; and we would like to recognize Nicole for her care, support, and advocacy for our son. We absolutely believe her strongly deserving of this award.

Role Model: Nicole is obviously very good at what she does; not just recognized only by us; but by the fact that she is often pulled by shift leaders for transport and orienting new nurses. Personable, approachable, easy going, hardworking and professional- all the more impressive given she is still early in her career.

Advocate: Honest and transparent we trusted Nicole and always felt that our son’s care and well-being were her priority. You cannot overstate the importance of trust in the NICU; after all, you are placing the most valuable and fragile thing in the world in the hands of strangers. Nicole was our son’s advocate in many ways. From watching him closely for any changes from ‘normal’ to engaging the NP when another set of eyes was needed; to establishing key issues to watch for by the next nurse in her shift rotation- calling out any issues to surface with the daytime rounding team. Nicole also worked with the charge nurses to find a good fit for us when ‘friends of’ or primaries were not available, and I cannot over-emphasize how much 'mental health well-being' value this provided to us.

There was a situation where a lab tech was too rough in handling our son resulting in a bruised leg. Nicole in a very professional manner made us aware, and it was escalated through established channels. This could have very easily gone unnoticed by us and I feel took courage on the part of Nicole to surface. Trust in the NICU is not given; it is earned, and we trust Nicole completely.

Communicator. Nicole is knowledgeable and always ready and willing to take the time to answer questions OR call in an NP on those rare occasions when she sensed we needed an additional perspective. She is professional however also has a friendly approachable style that puts others at ease. Given the fact that she is often called to orientate new nurses, it speaks to her ability as a communicator and educator. 

Empathetic and Heartfelt: Nighttime can be a scary place for a parent in the NICU. Less activity, less overall staffing, and less direct contact with rounding teams. I remember staying bedside and never sleeping… or nights where I slept in the room and woke in a panic at every little sound. Nicole’s bright and upbeat personality always brought light into the nighttime NICU for us; and we felt at ease leaving our son in caring hands for the night. A small thing; Nicole would start the shift by asking our son ‘How is our/my boy doing today?’ This small thing just helped to take the edge off and put us at ease. Sometimes it is the smallest of things that can have an outsized impact. 

In closing; Nicole absolutely goes above and beyond as a nurse and absolutely helped us survive the NICU journey. If being a great nurse AND making a difference in patients' (and parents') lives is important; then Nicole hits every mark and deserves this award.