Our 2-year-old daughter has a very rare condition that, unfortunately, has required us to use many doctors & specialists through numerous hospital systems, including The Children's Hospital in Omaha, Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, and Unity Point. As a healthcare manager, I have also had the privilege of hiring & onboarding nurses & care providers as part of my job duties & overseeing the care they provide. Long story, short, I'm well versed both in personal experience and profession in the patient care component of healthcare and I'm not easily impressed. I'm a profound believer that when it comes to healthcare, great care is the expectation and only above & beyond great care would warrant recognition. In the course of all the care we've had with our medically complex child, we've had overall good experiences, but never have I been compelled to write a review or submit any special recognition for one in particular. Until we met Andrew when our C was in the PICU for 7 days after a complication with a neurosurgery. Our care in the PICU was great, we enjoyed all of C's nurses and want to express our respect and gratitude to all of the physicians, nurses, therapists, dietitian, social workers, etc. who cared for C while we were there.

What compels me to write, however, is the above-and-beyond, exceptional care that Andrew provided to our sweet girl during her long stay in the PICU. C is non-verbal but otherwise very socially expressive. Her receptive language is better than her verbal expressive language but most people, once they learn C is non-verbal, direct any and all questions to me or my husband and don't talk or interact directly TO her. C's lack of verbal communication didn't stop Andrew, though. His outgoing, cheerful disposition (also an awesome quality in a pediatric unit), he went right up to her and took the time to talk to C & this led to a rapport of trust with her toward him. Andrew was vigilant about C's comfort, and because he took the time to know her and asked good questions, he was able to recognize her signals when she had pain or discomfort and was promptly attentive to it and stayed bedside soothing, singing, and reassuring her until she was calm & comfortable again.

I was also impressed by Andrew's thoroughness and follow-through. He didn't cut any corners. I watched him take C's bed weight 3 times because he recognized the first number was off, so he did it 2 more times to ensure the second and 3rd numbers matched. We had to be hyper vigilant about C's diaper changes due to her incision site. Not one single time did I have to use the call light or ask twice for a diaper change or anything C needed; he was on top of it. I was so comfortable that C was in good, capable hands-on Andrew's watch that I even went and slept at the hotel for one night to get a good night's rest, something I have never done while C was inpatient at any hospital system before. Witnessing the quality of care that Andrew provided to our daughter while she was in the PICU was nothing short of awe-inspiring & heart-warming.