Gianna Uccello, BSN, RN

I would like to commend Gianna Uccello for the extraordinary care, advocacy, compassion, and support she provided to our son, D, and to our family throughout his time at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center. Gianna was the day nurse who cared for D after our first night at Cooperman, and we immediately knew there was something different about her. By the time we met Gianna, D had already been through three hospitals and an incredibly complicated medical journey. We had experienced a lot of nursing care, and while we were grateful for so many of the people who cared for him, we had not felt the kind of connection that made us want to formally recognize and nominate someone until we met Gianna.

From the moment we met her, Gianna made us feel completely comfortable as parents. She took the time to learn our story, understand what we had been through, and most importantly get to know D as a little person rather than simply as her patient. And D loved her, too. Some of his first smiles were with Gianna. Throughout our month-plus stay, there were times when we were struggling with ongoing concerns about his care. During those moments, Gianna didn't just listen to us, but she advocated alongside us. She made sure our concerns were heard, helped make sure D was where he needed to be, and continuously looked out for what was in his best interest. She also gave us something that may sound small but meant an incredible amount to us as parents: she repeatedly reminded us that we were good parents and that we were doing the right things for our son.

When you're the parent of a medically complex baby, there are so many moments when you question yourself. You wonder if you're asking too many questions, if you're being difficult, if you're understanding things correctly, or if you're doing enough for your child. Gianna never made us feel that way. She made us feel like we were partners in D's care, and she made it clear that she was going to advocate for him right alongside us. You could even feel the difference she made beyond just our family.

On the days she wasn't assigned to D, we would see how much lighter other families seemed when she cared for their children. She has a presence that immediately makes people feel safe. Gianna was there for both D's admissions and his surgeries. Every time she cared for him, she went above and beyond to make sure he was comfortable, in the right place, and that the people caring for him understood everything they needed to know about him. She paid attention to the details, remembered the things that mattered, and never made us feel like we were asking too much.

After seeing nursing care across three hospitals since D was born, we have learned that being a great nurse is about so much more than completing the responsibilities of the job. It is about advocacy. It is about noticing the little things. It is about earning a parent's trust. It is about knowing your patient well enough to recognize when something isn't right. And it is about making a scared parent feel like they aren't alone. Gianna did all of those things for our family. She cared for D with an incredible amount of love and compassion, but she also cared for us. She became someone we trusted completely with our baby, and someone we knew would always have his best interests at heart.

Gianna is exactly the kind of nurse you hope your child will encounter during a difficult medical journey. She has a true gift for working with children and their parents, and we will always be grateful that she was part of D's story. She didn't just take care of our son, but she advocated for him, believed in us as his parents, and helped carry our family through some incredibly difficult days.