I work with Alyssa Layman. We had a special needs patient who had been with us for quite some time waiting for a group home placement. Though this patient is an adult, she has a 5-year-old mentality. The care and love that Alyssa shows for this patient is above and beyond. You can truly tell that Alyssa has a very special place in her heart for this patient and the feeling is reciprocal.

Even when she is assigned to a different part of the unit, Alyssa always makes time to talk to this patient and spend time with her. Whenever Alyssa is not at work, this patient is constantly asking other staff members where she is and when she is coming back, always referring to her as "my friend". There was even an instance where on one of Alyssa's off days, she came in to bring this patient lunch and a milkshake.

Once when Alyssa was on vacation this patient asked me to call her so she could talk to her. As soon as Alyssa answered the phone, this patient was so excited and happy to hear from her, that she couldn't even speak at first. She just kept looking at me and smiling. While all of the staff care for this patient, the compassion Alyssa shows for her is truly remarkable and inspiring. Alyssa truly stands out as a nurse that is willing to go above and beyond for her patients and I am thankful to be able to work with her.