I have the absolute honor of nominating Stefanie Browning. She exemplifies what it means to be a compassionate caregiver. Her kindness and ability to comfort some of the most vulnerable populations show her commitment to providing the absolute best care for everyone she encounters. Thank you, Stefanie, for everything you do.

Stefanie cared for a patient with Down Syndrome from a group home who came to the ED for chest pain. Per group home staff, any lab work/IV would require at least 5-6 security guards holding him down as he would kick/bite/scratch to get away from needles. However, he was clothed head to toe in Batman merchandise. So Stefanie sat down with him, told him, "I am absolutely confident that he is as brave as Batman and would not fight me and hold still for the IV and lab work, and if he is, we have ice cream for him as a reward". To help him become more Batman, she made him a Batman mask, cut eyes out of a normal mask, and colored it black with a Sharpie. She gave him the mask, promised him, and assured him what she would do BEFORE doing it, and asked him not to hit but to tell her to stop, and she promised him she would do so immediately. Stefanie never asked any security or other staff to hold him in the room.

Apparently, she was the first nurse who was ever able to get labs drawn without needing multiple people to hold him down. Stefanie went the extra mile to ensure the patient felt safe, and the outcome was a win for both.