September 2026 Honoree
Nina Cornett, RN
Upon the arrival of my elderly dad, Nina Cornett picked up on his character (he has always been a big kidder) and formed a connection right away. After my dad was stabilized from his ER visit and had a restful night's sleep, he was charged up (sort of) and ready to joke around. Nina joined in and responded to his humor, which eased a lot of our tension, to see that she could draw that spark out of him. Dad started calling her his fourth daughter, which made her our sister. Sis (Nina) contributed greatly to reducing the stress and anxiety of this concerning situation by explaining the issues at hand.
Nina had not only developed a great rapport with my dad, but she also showed extreme patience and thoroughness in explaining to my mom what exactly was going on.
Nina became part of our family, supporting all of us, not just my dad. She treated my dad like she would her dad and also tended to my mom's needs and concerns. She would bring Mom (who is always cold) a warm blanket (always seemed to have one on hand, waiting for her). She would take my dad on what seemed like extra-long walks, chatting with him (actually listening and strategically laughing at him carrying on) while monitoring his oxygen levels to make sure he was receiving the best care. It just seemed to us (his family) that she was giving him and his health, both emotional and physical, extra care, extra special attention.
My dad wasn't shy about telling everyone that his birthday was coming up, and he was going to be turning 102. That's when Nina went the extra, extra mile and the fun began (if you can actually have fun while a patient in a hospital). And helped plan and instigate Dad's 102nd hospital birthday. Nina had her daughter (dad's new adopted granddaughter) make dad a homemade birthday card. I told her what I was bringing, and she orchestrated the rest of the party details on the hospital side. It was great... down to the Q-Tip candle on his slice of cake, twenty-three signatures on his happy birthday card addressed to POP, and ending with the group singing Happy Birthday with a hearty "ROLL TIDE" at the end. Dad just happens to be the oldest Alabama football diehard fan ever (we think)!
At the end of her shift, we parted with a hug, but I knew I would see sis (Nina) again. Friday, on Nina's day off, Dad was still in the hospital and made a surprise visit with her daughter to meet us. She made us feel so special with her compassion, kindness, and empathy during our stay.
We will be presenting Nina with our very own DAISY, as she was truly our extraordinary nurse and is now part of our family.
Nina had not only developed a great rapport with my dad, but she also showed extreme patience and thoroughness in explaining to my mom what exactly was going on.
Nina became part of our family, supporting all of us, not just my dad. She treated my dad like she would her dad and also tended to my mom's needs and concerns. She would bring Mom (who is always cold) a warm blanket (always seemed to have one on hand, waiting for her). She would take my dad on what seemed like extra-long walks, chatting with him (actually listening and strategically laughing at him carrying on) while monitoring his oxygen levels to make sure he was receiving the best care. It just seemed to us (his family) that she was giving him and his health, both emotional and physical, extra care, extra special attention.
My dad wasn't shy about telling everyone that his birthday was coming up, and he was going to be turning 102. That's when Nina went the extra, extra mile and the fun began (if you can actually have fun while a patient in a hospital). And helped plan and instigate Dad's 102nd hospital birthday. Nina had her daughter (dad's new adopted granddaughter) make dad a homemade birthday card. I told her what I was bringing, and she orchestrated the rest of the party details on the hospital side. It was great... down to the Q-Tip candle on his slice of cake, twenty-three signatures on his happy birthday card addressed to POP, and ending with the group singing Happy Birthday with a hearty "ROLL TIDE" at the end. Dad just happens to be the oldest Alabama football diehard fan ever (we think)!
At the end of her shift, we parted with a hug, but I knew I would see sis (Nina) again. Friday, on Nina's day off, Dad was still in the hospital and made a surprise visit with her daughter to meet us. She made us feel so special with her compassion, kindness, and empathy during our stay.
We will be presenting Nina with our very own DAISY, as she was truly our extraordinary nurse and is now part of our family.
Thank you, Nina, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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