I was admitted to an ER and had a terrible stay there for 2 days, waiting for transfer to St. Luke's. Unfortunately, that facility gave St. Luke's no information on me, my condition, needs, etc. In fact, St. Luke's was not aware I was even coming. I got to St. Luke's via medical transfer, and I was in bad shape with a blood infection. I am immune-compromised due to diabetes and was put into a room with someone who was in very bad condition and potentially contagious. I asked for the nurse in charge, explained the situation, and in came the charge nurse, and Mr. Brent Brautigan.

Brent was not only completely understanding but he had me transferred to a single occupancy room within minutes. From the moment he entered the room and spoke with my wife and me, I was immediately put at ease by his hospitable and courteous attitude, as well as his great sense of humor. He was extremely accommodating, and he could tell from the jump that I was extremely nervous about being in the hospital, and truthfully, I was absolutely terrified inside. He immediately asked my wife if she planned to spend the night with me in the room, and he searched the floor for a recliner that she could lie in. He brought it to the room and he brought in blankets, sheets, and pillows. He had such a great bedside manner, it was immediately disarming and helped me calm down, and I was able to relax knowing I was in a secure room without the chance of catching another illness on top of the already serious infection I was dealing with. The single best thing he could have done to help me be able to calm down was to ask my wife if she was going to stay the night. I know this is not standard policy, but this one exception made the difference in my being able to handle being in the hospital. My wife and I have been together since we were 18 years old, married for 20+ years, and she is the only thing that keeps me calm and able to deal with everything happening to me at this moment. It was as if he could read our minds and just knew she needed to be there and immediately offered her that recliner and then brought fresh linens it was absolutely amazing and set the tone for the rest of my visit.

I have such a profound respect for nurses and patient care aides they have the hardest job and they deal with so much from people who are just not in the best mind frame. He never once made me feel like any less of a human being, and this to me is priceless. I looked forward to when his shift was on, and I enjoyed the time I was able to chat with him about TV shows, etc. I am so grateful, and so thankful he was one of my main nurses; he deserves so much more than an award. You just never know what someone is going through in life, and no matter what, he had a smile on his face, he was able to converse, joke around, and he took such good care of me. Also, he paid attention to the little things. Like the fact that I love Diet Pepsi. As a diabetic this is one of the only freebees I get (diet soda). He quickly remembered this and he would bring me a Diet Pepsi before I could even ask for it. Just amazing memory, as I know he is dealing with a significant amount of patients, and for him to take the level of care to remember a drink is just another example of priceless exemplary care.

Thank you, Brent, for the job you did. I wish I could repay you in more than just an award nomination. The service you provided and the level of care you gave was absolutely priceless, and I just can't thank you enough. On top of this, he was absolutely knowledgeable and patient. He took his time explaining things and allowed me to ask questions without making me feel like I was wasting his time. Brent provided invaluable care, and it is comforting to know that this is the type of care St. Luke's provides and the type of people they employ. God bless you, Brent, and thank you again for everything!