Ellie was on the ward when we arrived from the PICU. She introduced herself and explained the rules of the ward. The rules included two people per bed space, but she was very supportive when we settled our daughter in the bed, as this was the third hospital we had been in in a couple of days. Ellie understood the needs of a teenager as well as the maintenance of supportive care.

She ensured my 13-year-old had a say in pain medications and valued her opinion. Luckily, Ellie had a number of shifts during our 10-day hospital stay. So, we were able to build a good rapport, and she was able to tell us when her next shift was. This was encouraging for our daughter. She took time out to thrash my daughter and family at table football. Ellie is a great nurse; she kept on top of her pain, made sure she was comfortable and was able to answer the questions that we had.

When you have been in the hospital over the Easter break, instead of eating chocolate and hanging out with friends, you are stuck in the hospital with a chest drain, not knowing if and when you are going to have surgery. Not able to wash or shower. We all need someone like Ellie; she does her job but much more.

Mental health is a big part of your perception of pain, and pain affects mental health. My daughter had issues with anxiety, so having Ellie support her not just physically but mentally made a massive difference to her experience and also her recovery time. I would nominate Ellie 10 times over if I could.