Claudine was a ray of sunshine from the moment she walked into my dad's room. My dad had just been diagnosed with kidney failure, and his doctors suggested he get dialysis immediately. He was in shock and faced a cocktail of heavy emotions. Not only did she expertly handle her regular duties as the charge nurse, but she could lighten my dad's spirits just by being her bubbly self. She was joking around and made Dad smile and laugh. Moments like that are an oasis and so precious during these tough times; he was scared going into his first dialysis session, and she came down to ask if we had ordered dinner yet for when he gets out. It touched us to know she thought ahead for him. It showed she really cared.

After the second day of dialysis, he had to get a brain and CT scan. When he still wasn't back in the room after a while, Claudine called to ask about his whereabouts and was shocked to know he was still in the CT room. She took immediate action and retrieved him herself. No other transporters were available. That was really going above and beyond to ensure my dad felt cared for. She's really knowledgeable about what she does - especially about dialysis. She explained a lot to me and answered my questions about diet and next steps. She made me feel supported and at ease. Claudine's passion shone through like the sun's rays on a warm summer day. Her presence and support during my dad's hospital visit made his stay much more pleasant. She sewed love into his difficult time and made it easier to bear. It was like having family take care of us. She touched our hearts, and we are so grateful. It's all of these things that she did, big and small, that made me want to nominate her.