My brother-in-law was admitted to the ICU in cardiogenic and hemorrhagic shock after a stenting procedure. This was being done in preparation for a TAVR, and he is also an ESRD patient. He was extremely sick, on the ventilator, multiple pressors and drips, dialysis, etc. I caught the first flight the next day in hopes I would make it in time to be with my sister in case the worst happened.

Nicole was his primary nurse for at least two out of her five-day stretch. I am an RN, Legal Nurse Consultant, and I work for a medical device company. We’ve had some horrendous health experiences with our parents at certain facilities, and I was really scared that my parents had appropriately named me after their poor experiences. However, I never had to earn my name once. Not with any nursing staff, ancillary staff, or physicians in the entire hospital in the 11 days I was there.

 Nicole was beyond exceptional.

She explained things in terms that my sister could understand, advocated for my brother-in-law when necessary, and answered our plethora of questions in a very sweet, non-bothered way. Not only did she provide excellent care to him, but she provided excellent care to us as well.

Her reassurance, kind offers to get us anything we needed, and thoughtful reminders that we needed to take care of ourselves, too, “Have you eaten today?” “How did you sleep last night?” kept us calm in the chaos.

After frustration with multiple incidents with my parents, I thought maybe I was a bitter old nurse who just longed for “the way things were.” I still can’t wipe the smile off my face, realizing that it didn’t change. Profoundly exceptional, caring, knowledgeable, and detail-oriented nurses do still exist. I was able to go home every night and sleep soundly, trusting that my loved one was receiving excellent care. There’s not a price tag a person can put on that.

Literally, in my 35 years of nursing, I had not seen anyone beyond a trauma hooked up to so many things. I was a bit overwhelmed and sad when I walked in. Nicole navigated all of it with ease. She was always smiling and never appeared rushed or overwhelmed. I had 100% faith in her skills and judgment, something I hadn’t experienced in many years.

Thank you for reigniting my pride in nurses, Nicole. Thank you for making a very stressful situation as good as it could have possibly been. Thank you for just being a phenomenal human. You represent the very best of what nursing is. We can’t begin to tell you how grateful we are.

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This is Nicole's 2nd DAISY Award!