Brooke Johns, an emergency room nurse at Southern Hills Hospital in Las Vegas, Nev., spends her days off brushing and braiding patients' hair. She started these acts of kindness to help patients who weren't able to have visitors due to the pandemic. She hopes to set the example for her three kids to give back. "Service is so important," said Brooke. "If they see mom doing it they are much more likely to do it too."

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last year when visitation at hospitals was restricted, the caring staff Presbyterian Saint Luke's Hospital (PSL), which is based in Denver, Colorado, sought to find an incredible way to honor the patients, who had passed away, especially those who did not have family by their side. "We knew that we did not want anyone to die alone," said Laura-Anne Cleveland, an associate chief nursing officer at PSL. "That is always our commitment, but more so when they [patients] couldn’t have visitors at their bedside." So, to help colleagues find peace after a patient passes away, medical staff now gathers in a circle to read a special message created by an unknown ER nurse.

Click here to view the surprise.

A two-year-old Labrador retriever is helping keep patients, visitors and caregivers safe by sniffing for signs of COVID-19 at Doctors Hospital in Sarasota, Fla. "It's a distinct smell. The body's response to us fighting off COVID-19 is what the dogs are reacting to," explains Buffy's trainer Laska Parrow. The idea came about because Bob Meade serves as both a board member for the non-profit that trained Buffy, and is the CEO of the Doctors Hospital of Sarasota.

We are thankful for the countless nurses that have provided exceptional patient care to patients across the country throughout COVID-19. Although the pandemic created hardships for both patients and nurses, we are grateful for the dedication that nurses have exhibited towards enhancing patient care. Below, we share one nurses' experience of coping with the stress of COVID-19, the lessons that she learned and the support that she felt along the way.