I would say that a good majority of people when choosing a job or career think about benefits, the pay, the perks, the opportunity for promotion, the flexibilities offered. Probably Odessa considered all of these things as well when positioning herself to become a nurse. However, for Odessa, I think it was more than a job choice. It was a "calling" to that profession, and there is a huge difference. I'll tell you why I think this about our wonderful Odessa. Mom has been in and out of the hospital for four years now since her stroke. We have seen the good and the everything in between in those years. Odessa is not average - she does not fit the norm. She is not here to put in her 12 hours and go home. She rises above her peers in many ways. 

My mama, now in her 80s, with dementia, half in the world and half lost, was "seen" by Odessa. Odessa called her "Mama" or "sweetheart" or "beautiful lady" when addressing her. She didn't just come in and administer whatever meds the doctor ordered, she "looked" at Mama. You could tell she was assessing her. She took the time to reposition her. She talked to her as she ministered to her needs. All the while, I could sense the extreme focus that Odessa had on what she was doing. She rubbed her leg while talking to her. Not because she had a leg ache but as a gesture of soothing and comfort. She did that for my mama. She was what I call "loving on Mama." And she's (doing all this for my Mama) … only seeing her for a few days likely never to see her again (after discharge). Yet in this moment, in this tiny period of time when our paths crossed, she showed love and compassion, not apathy. Not just a job... a "calling."

One night, I was distraught about Mama's creatinine and BUN levels. Odessa sensed this and called me outside of the room. I was so afraid she was calling me outside the room to tell me some bad news about Mama's condition, but not so, all she did was give me a heartfelt hug and say, "Be strong." Her actions brought tears to my eyes. Not just a job - "a calling."

She deserves this award, and I'm sure there are others just like her at Novant. But she seems to rise above the others that we have encountered thus far on this journey, and I felt compelled to let you know. She is an LPN studying to be an RN after working 12 hours a day. You would never know she is not already an RN. She is a great nurse. A wonderful, kind, and compassionate person. We were blessed by her. She will be such a blessing to others as well because with Odessa, it is not just a job; it is a "calling."