I have delayed in writing this nomination as I have struggled with finding the right words to capture the exceptional care that Andrew provided to my son during his two hospitalizations. Recently, my 13-year-old son required two hospitalizations for acute asthma exacerbation- this was the first time that he had ever been hospitalized, and needless to say, this was a very overwhelming and emotional experience for him. We were initially admitted in the middle of the night, and the team wanted to place an IV for medication therapy- despite the best efforts and attempts at sedation medication, teamwork, collaboration, and de-escalation approaches- my son was simply not having it, and had a complete breakdown. My son was completely overwhelmed and just spiraling with all that was going on around him and the need for the IV. The team agreed to allow him some sleep for a few hours and to reconnect in the morning. And that next morning- our savior- Andrew arrived.

Andrew came in- sat down on the bed- and gave my son his undivided attention- asked him how things were going- what he was worried about- what his goals were (a 'golden ticket' for discharge) and formed a partnership for how they could work together for him to get better and go him. He connected directly with him- achieved his buy in- his trust and made this about my son- not everything else that was going on around him in that moment- or that needed to happen- but identified at his core what my son was really worried about and how they could work together to get the IV and ultimately receive the medication. Andrew negotiated a time and a plan with him- and returned back to place the IV. During that time, my son was able to get the IV placed- no sedation medication, no crying, no breakdown and no scenes- just relaxation and deep breathing- a complete 180 degree turnaround from just a few hours earlier. His entire energy shifted, his demeanor changed and his compliance with his care plan was now moving forward. As a nurse at CHOP- I very much understand all that goes into care, collaboration, and managing a full patient load- and in that moment as a parent- on the other side of the aisle- we were the only ones who mattered to Andrew. He made my son the center of his universe- showed him compassion, made him part of his own care plan, and put my son back into control in making decisions about his care plan- he made his voice matter- he created trust- and he made a world of difference for my son and our family. Andrew single-handedly changed the trajectory of my son's hospitalization- there are no words to capture the gratitude that I have for Andrew.

This is just one small example of the exemplary care that Andrew provided to my son- his empathy, communication, patience, and attention to detail. Integrity and compassion shined through in every moment. Unfortunately, following our discharge- my son required re-admission back to the hospital less than 48 hours after discharge. As we were sitting in the emergency room and the doctor was explaining why he needed to be re-admitted- my son directly requested, "Yes, that's fine, but can I please go back to the 4th floor, and can Andrew be my nurse again?" While this was a beyond overwhelming situation for our family- seeing the growth that my son had in being able to accept the need to be hospitalized again and in viewing it with a positive light and acceptance directly exemplifies the level of care that Andrew provided to him.

Fortunately, the stars re-aligned for us again- because we were, in fact, admitted back to the 4th floor, and Andrew was our nurse again. My son completely lit up when he saw that Andrew was his nurse again- and was able to quickly re-engage in that trusting relationship and get my son back on the path to wellness and discharge. His second admission moved seamlessly with a brief stay. Andrew continued to pull out all of the stops- which included creating a customized and laminated 'golden ticket' that he came in to present to my son to let him know it was, in fact, time for discharge to home. My son completely lit up- jumped out of bed and cheered- as HIS goal was being met. Despite the time that has passed since his hospitalization- my son still proudly has his golden ticket hanging in his room and reflects on his hospitalizations as a positive experience and considers Andrew to be his friend. I recognize how challenging the day in and day out as a nurse in caring for hundreds of patients over the course of a year can be, and I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate Andrew because for this one patient- Andrew was EVERYTHING.