Sarah Ellis, RN

I would like to nominate Sarah Ellis for this award. We had a lower-functioning patient who had been on the unit for almost a year due to placement issues. The patient had missed several holidays, and Christmas was quickly approaching. This patient is truly the sweetest and kindest person. Sarah took it upon herself to ensure he had a Christmas he would never forget. She knew how much he loved police officers, and every night he pretended to play police officer. Sarah went to the local police station and asked if anyone would volunteer to come to the hospital and make Christmas special. She had an entire day planned for him! She had a vest made with his name on it; he got a police badge, a pair of handcuffs, and he even got a book to write tickets to his favorite nurses! She coordinated with an officer to make him an honorary police officer, and then arranged for him to arrest a bad guy and put them in the back of the squad car! Sarah thought of everything for this! She got doughnuts so the patient could eat in the police car with the officer. The patient got to play with the lights and sirens! At the end, the patient was informed he had a present in the trunk, and there he unwrapped a guitar! The police officers said it, but all of this came out of Sarah's own pocket. She never once asked for acknowledgment for what she did; she did it out of the kindness and compassion in her heart! The patient talked about this every day until the day he was discharged. He played his guitar daily and frequently wrote notes to the nurses! This is just one example of the things Sarah does for her patients. She goes above and beyond for everyone. Sarah ensures they are all advocated for and treated like they are her own family. I don't know where that patient ended up or how he is today, but I truly do believe, with all of my heart, that he is still writing tickets and still playing that guitar.