Karen Eason and Terrie Promis hail from different parts of Georgia and work in different specialties and settings. But they share a compassion that makes for nursing excellence. For these honorable mention honorees, nursing is not just a job; it’s a way of life.

Karen Eason, 1st America Infusion Services

“Nursing is not all fun. Patients can be very sick and not at their best, but it is what I was called to do,” said Karen Eason, a nurse at 1st America Infusion Services in Valdosta. “I knew God wanted me to be a nurse, and I love it.”

Eason, who lives in Lake Park near the Georgia-Florida border, travels many hours to infuse patients in their homes. A nurse for three years, she recently passed the infusion nurse certification exam.

Eason knows her way around IVs, ports, PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) lines, chemotherapy and antibiotics.

“When you’re the only nurse there, you have to know what you’re doing. It’s a lot of responsibility, but I love that I get to focus 100 percent of my attention on my patients and their families,” she said.

As she infuses medication, Eason watches for physical signs that indicate how her patients are doing. The dosage must be correct to be effective, and she also wants patients to be as comfortable as possible.

Before treating Breanna, a young girl who has a chromosome disorder that causes multiple health problems, Eason talked to the family and her patient to learn more about her. She arrived at the house with a new blanket for Breanna and one for her favorite doll.

Eason sits with Breanna for the entire treatment, which takes from four to six hours.

“She loves animals and I have about a dozen at home, including chickens, dogs, a horse and a pig, so I bring pictures and tell her stories,” Eason said. “She loves being outside, so we might go for a walk afterward.”

“I’ve never met a nurse who went out of her way so much to help a patient,” said Stephanie Eskew, Breanna’s mother.

Knowing they had some financial setbacks, Eason adopted the family for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“[For] the smiles that she has brought to our family, I could never thank her enough,” Eskew said.

“Nurses have so many ways to help people. I can’t imagine doing anything else,” Eason said.

Terrie Promis, Piedmont Newnan Hospital Neurology Clinic

Terrie Promis, a certified registered nursing assistant at Piedmont Newnan Hospital Neurology Clinic, has always loved learning about the brain and how the mind works.

“Neurology is such a fascinating and rewarding field,” said Promis, who has worked in the field for 25 years.

She assists Dr. Qing Ni with procedures and administers tests for patients with seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia, and psychotic and bipolar conditions.

“The work is challenging and it can break your heart when patients who have known you for years suddenly don’t know you,” she said. “But knowing I can bring comfort and help to patients keeps me going. When you have been given a gift, you should use it to the best of your ability.”

Co-worker Terrence Cleveland calls Promis a compassionate leader and resource for the clinic.

“Her desire is to help patients suffering from severe disorders lead normal, everyday lives,” he wrote in his nomination.

Promis also goes the extra mile in her work with Canine Assistants, an Alpharetta-based organization that trains service and seizure response dogs for people with disabilities and illnesses. For the past three years, she has traveled throughout Georgia every weekend to raise funds for the nonprofit group.

“We have paid for training four dogs, which cost $20,000 to $40,000 each,” Promis said. “These dogs make a huge difference in people’s lives. Just knowing that I’m helping someone who needs it is rewarding.”