My father-in-law, R, was brought in as a medical alert to the ED due to being found down in his front yard by his neighbor. When I received the call from his neighbor, my heart sank, and my mind started racing. I made my way to the hospital to see what was going on.

Upon entering the trauma suites, I did not know what I was going to find when I arrived at his bedside. I immediately was relieved when my father-in-law was awake and greeted me. The next experience was meeting his care team. Gianni was R's nurse. He came to our bay and immediately we felt his calm, compassionate presence. He maintained eye contact, listened to us, sat on a stool next to us, and took time to ensure that we knew what the plan of care was, what results were in, and ensure that R was comfortable.

R is a talker and a storyteller. His ability to tell his stories and socialize was ever-increasing as he was rehydrated. Gianni engaged with him. It was beautiful to see and feel how much Gianni was truly connected with R while still getting what he needed to get done. Gianni demonstrated a nurse's value which is connection, care, compassion, and advocacy for the patients they serve. His empathy was palpable.

I am also an employee of SMMC and know what is expected of our nursing staff. Gianni exceeded the expectations and went above and beyond for R and me. I had to leave to tend to R's home and Gianni called me to update me twice on his status, letting me know when/where R was going to be admitted. Please honor Gianni for the art of his nursing practice which is exhibited by his empathy, skill, and connection. Thank you, Gianni, for all the reassurance, comfort, and excellent ED RN practice that you provided to R and me.