Jennifer is one of the most quietly compassionate nurses I have the pleasure to work with.

There are quiet moments in each shift where I marvel at how much extra she does for her patients. I would like to share two of these instances.

The first one happened several months ago. One of her patients had an emergency on the way to Houston. The patient was able to find her way to our hospital but felt that she could get lost trying to get on the freeway. Jennifer took the time to print out step-by-step directions so that the patient felt comfortable. The act did not take her more than 10 minutes, and she made a great impact on the patient.

The second instance happened just a day ago. A patient came in from a nursing facility with a history of cancer. The patient had severely decompensated, became critical, and began transitioning to end-of-life care. The patient’s family decided to make the patient comfort care, and the patient was admitted.

While waiting for the room to be ready, the patient stated, “I just want something to eat!” The patient told Jennifer that her favorite thing would be banana pudding. Jennifer took the initiative and DoorDashed banana pudding from Wildflower Bakery here in town.

She provided compassion at the end of life, something that the DAISY Award is based on.

Jennifer is an extraordinary nurse who deserves this recognition.