My seven-year-old daughter had to be seen in the emergency department because she was having an asthma exacerbation. My daughter was not happy about going to the hospital because she needed an IV the last time she went in and was scared. Karen was her triage nurse and immediately put her, myself and my husband at ease. As soon as she sat my daughter down to check her vitals and assess her, Remy the Rat (a stuffed animal character from the movie Ratatouille) joined her by sitting on her shoulder. It immediately eased the nerves and brought some joy to a stressful situation. Karen was kind, funny, and efficient. As a mother, I felt heard and that my daughter was in good hands. After assessing my daughter, she immediately had a provider there to assess her as well (who was also wonderful). Karen shared with me that she had a daughter with childhood asthma and could relate to what we were going through. I could tell that they were busy in the Emergency Department but Karen still provided us with the best care and was the catalyst for getting my daughter the care she needed.

As an RN myself, I have always tried to keep in mind that every patient is someone’s loved one and to treat my patients as if they were my own family member. I felt that from Karen. Although the time she spent with my daughter was short, it left an impact on me and I am so grateful. After my daughter was treated and we were walking out, Karen checked on my daughter again with a smile on her face and Remy the Rat on her shoulder. After I left, I thought about how many patients she must see in a shift and was so impressed thinking about the number of people she provides such exceptional care to. Karen definitely went above and beyond, and I am incredibly thankful for her care and advocacy. She is so deserving of this award.