I am writing to nominate Geo for the DAISY Award, as he truly exemplifies what it means to be an extraordinary nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. During our child's stay, Geo went above and beyond in every aspect of her care, taking into account our cultural and religious needs, which made a significant difference for our family during such a challenging time. Geo took the time to normalize our child's schedule, even while she was intubated and sedated. He understood the importance of routine and worked diligently to create an environment that felt familiar and comforting, even while having another equally, if not more complex, patient next door.

When we expressed concerns about physical therapy being unable to work with her in her condition, Geo didn't hesitate to step in. He massaged her swollen hands and feet, and taught us how to, promoting circulation and helping her regain normal functioning when she woke up from the coma. Her hands were so swollen and so contracted, but Geo used his knowledge to create hand rolls and simple movements to promote healing. His advocacy for awake trials and decreasing heavy sedatives was crucial in allowing our child to slowly recover and grow stronger, although scary to see her go through such life-altering things. Having Geo take the time to sit and explain in words we understood made us feel comfortable and safe with everything happening. He also made sure to take care of us!

On top of providing excellent care for our child, he ensured we always took care of ourselves. Geo always offered us food, provided us with hygiene products, and advocated for pastoral services to speak with us when he noticed a peak in our stress. Being in the ICU was very hard, but Geo made it feel like our second home. What truly set Geo apart was his unwavering commitment to being our voice and backbone throughout our stay. He listened attentively to our concerns, advocating for further investigations when no one else would, and he advocated for medication switches and cultures, which turned out to be exactly what our baby needed! Geo treated our baby as if she were his own, always greeting her and asking for permission before any procedures. He apologized during painful moments, like when poking for labs, and, most importantly, treated her with dignity and respect, even while she was in a deep coma.

Geos' compassion extended beyond medical care; he went the extra mile by purchasing fragrant bath products and hair accessories to help detangle and clean our child's matted hair after having electrodes and glue all in it. His dedication made us feel like we were his only patients, even though we knew that was far from the truth. Geo deserves recognition not just for his empathy, patience, and advocacy, but for his profound impact on our family. Because of him, we got our baby back, and he truly deserves the world for his incredible work in nursing.