February 2010
Jenny
Acuna
,
RN
Mother/Baby
Baptist Hospital of Miami
Miami
,
FL
United States
"…Jennifer Acuna was our nurse on the day before we were to go home at Baptist. My husband and I has been living out of our car, because we could no longer afford rent as my husband had lost his job and I was pregnant and unable to work. The Social Worker at Baptist came to help us find a place, but shelters would not take us in as a family and wanted to separate my baby and I from my husband, and place us in different shelters. I was in a state of panic and becoming more and more depressed,…Jennifer sat by my side for a long time just listening. Not even an hour later Jennifer came back into my room and told me she had found a place where we can live for the first 3 months with our baby and not have to pay any money to live there." On the day of discharge…"Jennifer came in to assist me…and lived out her promise by taking us to an ALF that is owned by a family member…Jennifer came to visit everyday that she was not at the hospital…taught me how to care for my baby…and even brought me and the baby to the Baptist Emergency Room one time…because of an eye infection that she detected on my baby. I believe Jennifer deserves this award for all the reasons above especially taking a chance for someone she did not know and with a child and husband. Jennifer has made a major difference in our lives and has brought back a feeling that there is still hope for humanity with all of the kind gestures that she displayed to us. Her ability to trust, care, teach, and not judge us will forever impact us."