Everybody knows, holidays in the hospital are not easy for patients. Being sick and unable to leave, not being around family and friends. But Tricia Peterson brings nothing but Christmas spirit and joy to every patient she encounters.

There is a patient in the ICU that has had and extended stay for some time who is on the ventilator with a tracheostomy. This patient is awake and alert and loves the Christmas holiday, as well as Christmas carols. Tricia not only bought this patient a small Christmas tree to place in her room window, but she brought her guitar to work. She sat in her patients room, at the patients bedside, playing her guitar, and singing the patients favorite Christmas carols.

To say Tricia embodies what it means to be a nurse is an understatement. Her heart goes above and beyond for every patient she encounters. The smile on the patients face and this memory she created is something the patient, and myself, will never forget. It truly is the little things, and Tricia always makes sure to do that and so much more.

Tricia is one of the best nurses I have the blessing to work beside and witness what it truly means to love we do.

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Tricia always pours out her heart into caring for her patients, but this Christmas season she brought an extra touch of joy to one patient in particular. This patient had been in the ICU for quite some time, so one evening Tricia turned on some Christmas music for her. The patient immediately lit up--shimming to the music and mouthing the words, even though she could not sing because of her tracheostomy. Seeing how much the music lifted her spirits, Tricia wanted to do even more. Knowing the patient is a huge Saints fan, she bought her a tiny Saints-themed Christmas tree to brighten her room. She also brought in her guitar and played Christmas carols at the bedside, filling the room with warmth and holiday cheer.

The patient was deeply grateful for Tricia's kindness and for bringing the magic of Christmas into her hospital room. And this wasn't a one-time gesture. Tricia is known for pampering her patients and making their hospital stay feel a little more like home. Her compassion, creativity, and genuine love for her patients shine through in everything she does.