Valerie from day 1 of my son’s admission has been absolutely wonderful! Her skill, knowledge and expertise totally meet the criteria for this award. But more than that, her compassion and her bedside manner are absolutely great. She has always made herself available no matter how busy she is. And she has always been honest about my son’s condition, but she’s always done it in a loving way.

When my son was in a coma, she would always ask me about his personality and what his interests and hobbies were which I thought was really neat that she took interest in him. Once woke up she continued to build a rapport with my son (which is not something that comes easy with my son). She has come to be someone he trusts and can talk to. When he is upset or feeling down, she is available to him and allows him to express his feelings. She encourages him and lets him know that his recovery is going to take a lot of hard work and doesn’t allow him to make excuses but the manner in which she does it, is positive and with empathy and compassion.

Valerie is a great nurse and I feel blessed to have her as a part of my family’s life and my son’s care. This department is lucky to have such a great nurse and a wonderful human being.