Nomination #1:
Elisabeth did our son's eye exams and was one of the reasons we felt okay watching them or leaving during the first few. She is so kind, patient, and very professional. She goes above and beyond for the NICU and all of their patients and families, whether it be by being their nurse, doing eye exams, making new items, and, I’m sure, much more.  - A grateful patient

Nomination #2:
Our daughter was born at 23 weeks’ gestation at Miami Valley Hospital in December 2024. As my husband and I tried to embrace this new beginning of parenthood that was so different from what we had envisioned, we were confused, scared, and anxious, but then we were fortunate enough to meet Elisabeth. While I believe those feelings would have always been there in some capacity as NICU parents, they were significantly put at ease by Elisabeth’s presence. Even though our journey ended in the tragic loss of our sweet girl, I cannot imagine what our experience would have been like if Elisabeth had not been one of our daughter’s primary nurses. 

We met Elisabeth just a few days into our daughter’s NICU stay. The unit as a whole and the reality of our daughter being attached to multiple lines, tubes, and monitors were still very daunting to us, but Elisabeth was so calm and kind from that first moment on. She allowed us to ask questions, even the same ones, over and over and answered them without judgment while giving us the space to process and the grace to say nothing at times. She cared for our daughter so well – using gentle hands and intention with each touch, attention to detail down to smoothing out even the smallest wrinkles in her linens, speaking to her in such a positive and calm manner, and radiating love and comfort any time she entered her room. Any morning when I walked in and saw Elisabeth’s name on the board, a wave of relief washed over me. I knew that we would be in good hands that day. 

There are so many things that make Elisabeth a great nurse like the care mentioned above. She did all the “big” things right. She was professional and punctual, always listened as we voiced our fears and concerns, and never once hesitated to advocate for our daughter’s needs. However, it was how she went above and beyond her assigned duties that made such an impact on me and my family. She took the time to get not only to our daughter, her personality, and her preferences but also to my husband and me. She meshed so well with our sense of humor and provided lightheartedness and laughter during some of our darkest days. She could recall our daily conversations so effortlessly, remembering things about our lives that may have seemed trivial at the time but made us feel so comforted. She was remarkably observant, picking up on the smallest details about how we felt most comfortable providing care to our daughter and implementing it without us ever having to ask. She ensured that we took care of ourselves with gentle reminders to leave the NICU to eat and take breaks, and always made sure we had water to drink in the room. She also encouraged us to take photos of all the sweet moments and small milestones our daughter achieved. Now, I will get to cherish those memories frozen in time that I never would have had without her. 

I could surely continue to write a novel about all the wonderful things that Elisabeth did for us during our time spent in the NICU, but the most impactful acts of grace and kindness occurred after we lost our daughter. By no coincidence, she was our nurse on the day just hours after our daughter passed away. My husband and I sat in shock in the bereavement room, not knowing how to move forward. Elisabeth came in and offered both comfort and direction. She helped us bathe our daughter one final time, set up for professional photos that we will now admire for the rest of our lives, assisted in cleaning out our NICU room and parenting room, ordered and brought us food when we forgot to eat, held us for hours while we cried, read to our daughter, and provided such loving care for all three of us on that final day. She has continued to check in and offer her support in so many ways, weeks after our daughter’s passing. Our time spent with her made such a positive and lasting impression on us. My husband and I could never possibly find the right words to adequately express how grateful we are for everything that she has done for our family.  - An Appreciative Family/Visitor