Amy was nominated for caring for our patients, treating nursing as an honor. Amy says to be able to meet and interact with the children when they need help most is extremely important and a chance to show them kindness and to help them see themselves and their lives from a different, and crucial perspective. It is a chance to offer genuine support, without obligation from them. To show them they can experience an interaction where the adult is stable and supportive.

In one patient encounter, the child voiced they had never experienced an adult just wanting to be kind to them, without manipulation. It took a long time to build that patient's trust. However, Amy was able to have that child trust her as she showed sincerity and understanding of how and what they were going through.

Amy keeps all the letters and artwork the patients have made her over the years as they are very special to her. There are infinite and often unfathomably sad stories that come along with these children, and they are quite hard to process. The children inspire her to be the nurse that she is. So many of them come from such difficult situations but have incredible spirit and perseverance. Amy likes the saying, "We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are" because it speaks to the power of perspective and our own life experiences.

Amy is her colleagues' role model as she displays genuine care and love for what she does. In addition to Amy's dedication to our patients, she displays leadership skills as well as being the lead on the Seclusion and Restraints Committee for the Adolescent Behavioral Unit.