Avery Award of Excellence in Nursing
Niswonger Children’s Hospital
Johnson City, Tennessee
Nominated by Kim Arnold
Our family has tried to narrow it down to just one nurse – we have debated, disagreed, I guess each of us have our favorite. We are emotionally indebted to these amazing Nurses at Niswonger Children’s Hospital and will be forever grateful for the love, compassion and attention they have given our precious Tripp. Tripp has been in the NICU since birth, December 6, 2013, waiting on a bowel transplant from the 98% of small intestines that were removed 5 hours after birth. Tripp has had infections, good days and some really bad days and these Nurses always greet him and us with a heartwarming smile.
From Nurses such as Katherine, Judy, Renee, Michelle, Heather, Rhonda, Gretchen, the list goes on. They have personally taken their time off duty to show their love for Tripp from giving a mobile, toy, and clothing to just spending a little extra off duty time with him. To top that off a few of the NICU Nurses gave Tripp a 100th day old Birthday Party with cake and treated him a slight taste of icing. Not only have these outstanding Nurse given the upmost care to Tripp they have also been there for our family, from making some of the tiring long visits comfortable, words of encouragement when crying trying times of lost hope have put a tow on us to the heartfelt hugs of reassurance everything’s going to be okay.
It has been an up and down journey the last 4 months and will continue as Tripp will remain in the NICU at Niswonger till transported to Duke Children’s Hospital for his bowel transplant. The Nurses have taught us ways to care for Tripp and in turn we have helped the Nurses new to Tripp’s case ways to care for Tripp and his G-tube. We have shown little tokens of appreciation from cookies, doughnuts and pastries but feel that if the entire NICU Nursing Staff could be honored by you it would be more of a thank you from Tripp. With Tripp still in the hospital we just can’t narrow it down to one Nurse but would love to see the NIC Unit Nurses that work together as one get this recognition. If our Nurse(s) is chosen the Certificate, Necklace and a picture of Tripp could be pinned to the board at the Nurses station to award each and every one of them.
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