I would like to acknowledge and express my deep admiration for Brittany Hodde. Her outstanding care and commitment, specifically to our LVAD patient population, should be honored.

Practicing medicine is an art. The best caregivers find the difficult balance of providing science-based medicine to treat a disease process, paralleled with the empathy and compassion of treating a whole person (mind, body, soul). Brittany is a shining example of that.

Recently, I had the privilege of witnessing Brittany’s deep dedication in action. One of our long-term LVAD patients was actively dying. Brittany had cared for this patient for almost ten years. When the patient felt overwhelmed by family, the patient would say, “Call Brittany” as code for the staff to politely remove family from the room. I find this incredibly telling of the trust and comfort found in her relationship with Brittany. I later found out that the day before the patient passed away, Brittany had asked her if there was any food she wanted. The patient replied, “I want to try the Superman Blizzard from Dairy Queen.”

Despite Brittany’s busy schedule and full personal life, she made time to stop by Dairy Queen and bring the patient the Superman Blizzard. Although the patient was very weak and could only take a few bites, it was an impactful gesture, and I am positive the patient felt deeply cared for in her final moments.

I personally can attest that this level of care from Brittany extends to all our patients. Our LVAD patients are an especially vulnerable population. Her care makes them feel safe, valued, and heard. I am personally inspired by her empathy and professionalism every day. Please help me celebrate and honor what a truly outstanding nurse she is.