My husband has been in the hospital quite a few times over the last 3 ½ years. In September, he had a below-the-knee amputation. The last 3 days, he has been blessed to have Jonathan as his nurse. He has been nothing but kind, patient, and compassionate. He talks to us, not at us, and explains things in a way that makes us feel comfortable and at ease. My husband likes to chat and make jokes sometimes, and Jonathan doesn’t hesitate to engage with him, which has been such a nice distraction. Jonathan has shown great empathy for what my husband is going through physically and emotionally, and we don’t doubt that he is sincere in wanting to do all that he can to help him. Today, we watched as Jonathan taught a nursing student how to change my husband’s dressing and insert an IV. He was so calm and reassuring with her and extremely patient. He gave step-by-step instructions verbally while also demonstrating for her. He was very gentle and supportive in his approach and tone, which I’m sure helped her feel less nervous. He is an excellent teacher. On the flip side, he asked me to show him how to put on a wound protector the prosthetic representative left for my husband. Jonathan watched and listened intently, and it was evident he really wanted to learn something new. When my husband needs something, if Jonathan can’t be there right away, he apologizes and explains why. When he passed me in the hall, he stopped to ask if we were ok. Even though he is busy, he regularly stops in to ask B how he’s doing and if he needs anything. That has not always been the case with some of the nurses we’ve encountered over the years.

Sometimes, you just know when a person is truly “good.” It may not be one big thing they do or say, but rather a lot of little things that really aren’t so little when added together.

We are very grateful to have had Jonathan care for my husband, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to nominate him for this award as he exemplifies all it stands for.