I am a nursing student and I had the absolute pleasure of having Rachel as my preceptor. She is not just an amazing nurse; she is an aspiring preceptor as well. I had the pleasure of working with her for about 3 weeks. The level of care she provides to her patients is beyond amazing. Not only is she an amazing nurse to her own patients she is an unbelievable, and incredible resource to her fellow nurses, and she is willing and available to all of her fellow nurses that she has precepted as well, whenever they ask her for help. Saying she is an amazing nurse is not complimenting her enough. The level of care and compassion she shows for her patients goes above and beyond. She has a level of patience that most senior nurses have lost, and to have had the opportunity to learn from her is an incredible opportunity that I have not taken for granted. The knowledge that Rachel possesses is so immensely incredible that I only wish I could obtain it over my career as a nurse. She is more than inspiring, and I am so very thankful for the opportunity to have learned from her. I am honored to have been able to work with her and wish I had more nurses like her around me to inspire me to be the best nurse that I can possibly be. She is a role model in the CCU, and it is obvious that her fellow nurses look to her for guidance. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to have her as my preceptor.

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I am an OB nurse at the same hospital as the nurse I am nominating. While it doesn't happen often, we sometimes must send pregnant or postpartum moms to the ICU for a level of care greater than we can provide. As one could imagine, this can often be incredibly distressing for patients. Leaving their baby in a different unit, being unavailable for bonding and breastfeeding, or being acutely ill can be traumatizing. I have now had the honor of working with Rachel Kelly, CCU RN on two different occasions with patients who have needed care in the ICU. I am certain that Rachel is assigned these mamas because of not only her incredible expertise, but her phenomenal amount of compassion and empathy. Many nurses who are not experienced in the work of obstetrics would shy away from the specialized level of care. Rachel is always willing to learn and put her knowledge to practice. She is always willing to perform fundal rubs, assist moms with pumping to ensure the ability to nurse when mom and baby are reunited, and is just a kind, caring and loving nurse to these wonderful women. As nurses, we don't do this job for praise. It can often be a thankless and exhausting role. I believe Rachel deserves a little sunshine and praise for the awesome work she's doing. ANMC is lucky to have her