Elizabeth May
September 2020
Elizabeth
435
,
MSN, RN, CNL
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Iowa City
,
IA
United States
It is always an uplifting experience to be in the presence of someone who is genuinely passionate about what they do, and Elizabeth embodies passion and dedication to her profession as a nurse.
Our twin sons spent two months in the NICU after being born prematurely. As someone who is in the medical field myself, it was very difficult not to have control over the situation. Elizabeth understood my anxiety and made sure I was included in decision-making processes, had my voice heard when I was unable to attend rounds and treated me with genuine compassion. She made sure all of our questions were answered regarding the care of our sons and even made drawings to help explain the screening process for retinopathy of prematurity and spent time explaining what to expect.
Elizabeth also has a young son, and we feel that she treated our sons as her own. In a time where medicine is forcing nurses to spend more and more time behind a computer screen, Elizabeth spent the majority of her time in our room conversing with us, educating us, and caring for the boys in a way that was unobtrusive and genuinely caring. In our absence, Elizabeth read stories to the boys, gave them sweet nicknames, had photoshoots, and made scrapbook pages for us and for Grandma, who was so sad she was not able to visit due to COVID-19 restrictions. Elizabeth got to know us and our family and treated us as such. She also made recommendations for equipment we would need at home (such as a large sterilizer for all the bottles) which have been invaluable to us at home.
We truly realized how special Elizabeth was to us and what an exceptional nurse she was the day we drove to the hospital to take our first son home. His brother was not yet ready to be discharged, so he would be staying behind. It was so difficult to be leaving him behind, and we did not want him to feel alone. As we walked to the elevator, I said to my husband, "I really hope Elizabeth is their nurse today." I knew she would provide our son with love and attention in my absence. He instantly agreed. We were both so happy to see her in their room when we reached the floor, and she was already getting ready to cuddle with him when we left.
Elizabeth truly embodies excellence in nursing—both with her clinical knowledge and compassionate care. She is truly passionate about what she does, and we know that our sons blossomed under her care.
Our twin sons spent two months in the NICU after being born prematurely. As someone who is in the medical field myself, it was very difficult not to have control over the situation. Elizabeth understood my anxiety and made sure I was included in decision-making processes, had my voice heard when I was unable to attend rounds and treated me with genuine compassion. She made sure all of our questions were answered regarding the care of our sons and even made drawings to help explain the screening process for retinopathy of prematurity and spent time explaining what to expect.
Elizabeth also has a young son, and we feel that she treated our sons as her own. In a time where medicine is forcing nurses to spend more and more time behind a computer screen, Elizabeth spent the majority of her time in our room conversing with us, educating us, and caring for the boys in a way that was unobtrusive and genuinely caring. In our absence, Elizabeth read stories to the boys, gave them sweet nicknames, had photoshoots, and made scrapbook pages for us and for Grandma, who was so sad she was not able to visit due to COVID-19 restrictions. Elizabeth got to know us and our family and treated us as such. She also made recommendations for equipment we would need at home (such as a large sterilizer for all the bottles) which have been invaluable to us at home.
We truly realized how special Elizabeth was to us and what an exceptional nurse she was the day we drove to the hospital to take our first son home. His brother was not yet ready to be discharged, so he would be staying behind. It was so difficult to be leaving him behind, and we did not want him to feel alone. As we walked to the elevator, I said to my husband, "I really hope Elizabeth is their nurse today." I knew she would provide our son with love and attention in my absence. He instantly agreed. We were both so happy to see her in their room when we reached the floor, and she was already getting ready to cuddle with him when we left.
Elizabeth truly embodies excellence in nursing—both with her clinical knowledge and compassionate care. She is truly passionate about what she does, and we know that our sons blossomed under her care.