I am the sister of a recent patient at Garnet Health Center. My sister was admitted on Friday. The frustration I experienced in trying to contact several people to coordinate her care was almost indescribable. I spent 6 hours in the hospital on Saturday. No one was returning calls. No one was coming to see her to oversee her care.

And then along came Kim. From the moment she stepped into the room, I knew we had an advocate. Kim was warm, engaging, kind, and so incredibly capable. I knew that I could rely on her, and she never disappointed. When I needed to contact the Garnet doctor who was so hard to reach, she persisted until he called me. When we were arranging for my sister's transfer to a New York City hospital because her condition was worsening and she needed a different level of care, Kim followed through at all times. And on top of that, she maintained contact with me, calling me throughout the day on Sunday to report on the status of whatever she was working on at the time - contacting a physician, addressing my sister's needs, ensuring that authorization required for the transfer would be in place, etc.

Kim was such a stand-out for me. I know that all nurses work hard and most often do the best they can. But Kim was a huge cut above. She should be recognized for going above and beyond, and being the kind, caring, giving, supportive, capable, reliable person that she is. I was literally able to take some deep breaths, knowing that she was on top of my sister's care.

I sincerely hope that Kim Soria is recognized for her excellence.