Dominique S. Moore, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student at Galen College of Nursing’s Houston campus, was recently presented with the Compassion in Action Award, recognizing her as a shining example of what it truly means to be a nurse. 

The Compassion in Action Award celebrates Galen College of Nursing students who demonstrate what it truly means to care through their actions in clinical settings. Presented by Galen’s clinical faculty, the award recognizes students who go above and beyond to show genuine compassion and make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients, families, peers and healthcare staff. 

For Dominique, that compassion became evident throughout her clinical rotation at HCA Conroe as part of the Adult Health course, where her dedication to connecting with patients on a human level quickly caught the attention of staff, department managers and patients. 

She did more than care for her patients. She took the time to get to know them. 

Dominique learned about their personal backgrounds, remembered the names of their pets, and built genuine connections with the people around her. Her kindness even caught the attention of Rosa, the unit housekeeper, who offered her own heartfelt assessment: 

“Ella es muy buena!” She is very good. 

But one example of Dominique’s character that truly stood out came during a moment that could have easily gone unnoticed. One of her patients was refusing to eat, explaining that “everything tasted horrible.” Dominique could have documented the lack of intake and moved on to the next task. Instead, she wanted to understand why. She discovered that the patient’s dentures were heavily caked with old food.  

So, without hesitation, Dominique cleaned them. 

It was not something that came with recognition, and it certainly was not easy. But Dominique pushed through her own discomfort to continue thoroughly scrubbing the dentures clean. When asked about it later, her response was simple. 

“I was just trying to get my patient to eat,” she said. 

That moment captures the heart of compassionate nursing. Dominique saw a problem, but more importantly, she saw the person experiencing it. She took the extra step to investigate, found the reason behind the patient’s discomfort, and did what was necessary to help. 

That is exactly why recognition like the Compassion in Action Award matters. 

Clinical rotations are about far more than learning procedures and completing assignments. They are where students begin putting their knowledge into practice and discovering the kind of nurse they want to become. For Dominique, that meant understanding that exceptional care often lives in the smallest details. 

Having a student like Dominique is a great reminder of why educators are so dedicated to lifting up and shaping the future of healthcare at Galen College of Nursing. Her recognition is not only a celebration of what she accomplished during her clinical rotation, but also of the nurse she is becoming. 

For Dominique, the experience was deeply meaningful. In a heartfelt message following the recognition, she reflected on the impact of her instructor and the clinical experience on her journey. 

“Honestly without an instructor like you to truly push us all and help us define and see what kind of nursing we could strive to be, I don’t know how this rotation would have gone,” Dominique wrote. “I thank you for bringing sunshine and positivity and goals for us to every rotation, and I thank you so very much for taking the time to acknowledge my effort I put forth. Truly blessed and thankful for that! One day I pray to be a bright and excellent nurse of your caliber!” 

For an educator, there may be no greater reward than knowing a student is carrying those lessons forward. Because the goal is not simply to teach students how to become nurses. It is to help them discover how to become the kind of nurses their patients will remember. Dominique Moore is already showing that she understands the difference. 

And sometimes, compassion in action looks like something very simple: seeing what someone needs and caring enough to help.