Pinning a Special Nurse: Jenna and Liv’s story

Meet Jenna and Liv

It's May 2026, and Liv Golden, BSN, RN, sits among more than 90 nursing graduates at Pittsburg State University's nursing pinning ceremony, waiting to celebrate one of the most important milestones of her career. 

Suddenly, she hears her name earlier than she anticipated at the event: "Liv!"

A girl's frame walks toward the stage. At first, Liv wasn't sure what she was seeing. Then, eyes in focus and almost swelling with tears, she recognized her past patient, Jenna.

As Jenna takes the microphone, she shares that Liv had helped her through one of the scariest experiences of her life. 

"Thank you, Liv, for being the best nurse I ever had," Jenna said. "Thanks for not just taking care of my health, but for taking care of me." 

There were few dry eyes in the room

The surprise had been orchestrated for Liv by Dr. Amy Hite, Director, Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing, and Jenna's family as a way to honor and thank the nursing student who had made such a difference during their darkest days. They had contacted the nursing school and asked if they could attend the ceremony of Liv going from student to professional nurse, because in her mother, Shelly’s words, “PSU is raising the best nurses.” But instead of just attending, they became part of the ceremony. 

Liv reflects on this moment with emotion. "Seeing Jenna, and her family out in the audience, made my heart kind of stop. I was like 'no way!"

For Liv, this moment reinforced everything she hoped nursing would be. "I knew I was right where I was supposed to be," she said. "This is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing."

A calling to care for kids 

Becoming a nurse wasn't the result of one defining moment for Liv. Growing up in Kansas City, Kan., she was always drawn to care for others, especially children. As a competitive dancer, she naturally gravitated toward mentoring younger students and loved to encourage kids to grow in confidence.

Those experiences eventually led her to Pittsburg State University's Irene Ransom Bradley School of Nursing, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing before beginning her career at Children's Mercy. She started as a nurse technician, helping patients with everything from vital signs and daily care to meal ordering and emotional support while she completed nursing school.

"I've always wanted to be a nurse and I knew I wanted to work with kids," Liv said. "It's something I was always passionate about and I knew Children's Mercy was an incredible hospital, and I wanted to be part of that."

In the fall of 2025, 8-year-old Jenna came to Children’s Mercy scared, sick and wishing she could be anywhere else.

After a fever, a swollen neck and alarming symptoms that included blood in her urine, Jenna's family traveled from Butler, Mo., to search for answers. What followed was six days of tests, uncertainty and waiting as physicians worked to determine why Jenna's kidneys had suddenly stopped functioning properly. The experience left her family frightened and exhausted.

"I basically had no idea what was happening," Jenna recalled. "I didn't want to be there. I just wanted to go home."

What Jenna and her family didn't know was that amid the fear and uncertainty, they were about to meet someone who would leave a lasting impression on all of them.

That person was Liv, then a nurse technician on Children's Mercy's liver and renal unit and now a registered nurse on the same team.

Finding connection

The moment Jenna arrived on the unit, Liv noticed something special about her.

Sometimes, she says, nurses simply have a feeling about a patient. Jenna was one of those patients.

Over three consecutive shifts, Liv focused on making an unfamiliar and frightening experience feel a little less overwhelming. The pair quickly discovered they had plenty in common. They bonded over Taylor Swift, Dr. Pepper and “Wicked.” Routine tasks became opportunities for connection. Meal ordering turned into a pretend restaurant experience. Conversations and jokes helped break up the long days of testing and waiting.

"She didn't make anything seem sad or bad," Jenna said.

Liv was intentional about looking for ways to bring moments of normalcy into Jenna's hospital stay. When Jenna wanted a red apple and only green apples were available, Liv searched throughout the hospital trying to find one. When procedures became intimidating, she explained them in ways Jenna could understand and encouraged other members of the care team to do the same.

But what stood out most to Jenna's family wasn't a single moment. It was the way Liv cared for everyone in the room.

One afternoon, Jenna's mother, Shelly, slipped into the hallway looking for towels so she could finally take a shower after several days at the hospital. Liv noticed immediately. She brought extra towels, knowing the pediatric-sized versions might not be enough, and then asked a question Shelly hadn't been asked yet.

"Okay, Mama, now how are you?"

For Shelly, the question unlocked emotions she had been holding back while trying to stay strong for her daughter.

"I said, 'Liv, I don't know how I am. I just know I have to smile for my little girl because she's looking at my face,'" Shelly remembered.

Liv listened, reassured her and helped her feel seen during one of the hardest moments of her life. Looking back, Shelly still becomes emotional when she talks about it.

"Everybody there was wonderful," she said. "But Liv really went above and beyond."

Days later, Jenna's care team finally had answers. Treatment began, her kidneys started recovering and eventually she made a full recovery. Today, nearly a year later, Jenna is healthy and thriving.

For Liv, the experience was truly meaningful. She returned to school and focused on finishing her final year of nursing education. She never imagined Jenna’s family still remembered her.

A lasting connection

The pinning ceremony wasn't the end of their story.

Jenna later attended Liv's graduation celebration, where she met Liv's family and presented her with a special keepsake featuring a photo of the two together and a meaningful Bible verse. What began as three days of care inside a hospital room had grown into a friendship that continues today.

For families, it's often the biggest milestones they remember: the diagnosis, the treatment and the recovery. But sometimes it's the smaller moments that leave the deepest impression.

A nurse searching for a red apple.

A conversation in a hospital hallway.

A stack of extra towels.

A young nurse who saw not only a scared little girl, but also a worried mom who needed support.

And a family who never forgot.