After spending the last two weeks in the NICU, we were saddened to know that our newborn daughter was being switched to a new room. It was a bittersweet moment for us as we had become very attached to the nursing staff over her stay, but moving to feeder/grower status was a prayer that was answered.

As a firefighter and paramedic who is married to a NICU nurse, we have been hyper-vigilant about who has been caring for our sweet little girl from inception until birth. Although all of the staff has been absolutely amazing, from janitorial staff to physicians, the nurses have been the true rockstars as always. Anyone in medicine knows that the world doesn’t turn without nurses; they are the backbone and nerve center of healthcare. 99% of the nurses we encountered in the last few weeks have been fantastic, but there has absolutely been one stand out.

Jen has been caring for our daughter more often than not. I’m not sure she ever took a day off; she always seemed to be there whenever we visited. Jen was the first person I met upon entering the NICU after my wife’s emergency C-section. I was terrified of what was happening, but Jen reassured me with a kind smile and confident voice and advocated for me and my daughter in every aspect. Nothing happened without Jen explaining it and ensuring I was abreast of the current situation.

Fast forward to today, as we sit in the feeder/grower unit, we are truly humbled yet sorrowful that we have lost Jen as our nurse. She treated our daughter as her own; she always took time for our questions, dressed our little girl in our clothing and blankets, and ensured her medical care was top-notch. Everything was perfectly folded and manicured, just as my wife does in the NICU where she works. My wife is very particular about her management of lines and bedding; presentation and neatness are of the utmost priority, even down to the way she swaddles the infants. She was always impressed with Jen’s work and end product. I don’t know for sure if the “brotherhood” exists in the nursing community as it does among firemen, but I can honestly say that Jen didn’t just go the extra mile because she felt obligated due to my wife’s profession. Watching Jen care for the other little ones in adjacent rooms assured me that she treats every one of her families and patients like she did us. She truly is a one in a million and should be treated as such. Prentice is lucky to have an amazing nursing staff but especially blessed to have someone as professional, personable, capable, and loving as Jen.

Watching her work over the last few weeks assured me we couldn’t have been in better hands. Additionally, it was truly a pleasure to watch Jen mentor a young nurse who we were shocked to find out was a new graduate. This new nurse carried herself as a tenured nurse with years of experience and confidence. I can only assume that her success and confidence are due to Jen and her dedication to her career. God bless not only Jen but all of the amazing nurses at Prentice.