1. Grant Kreeger Nominated for Red Shoe Pin Award
Grant Kreeger, 27, a sixth semester nursing student at the Indiana University School of Nursing
(IUSON) was nominated as a recipient for the Red Shoe Pin Award. This award is presented to a
resident physician or staff member at Riley Hospital for Children that has been nominated by a
patient or family member that recognizes the compassion and special care they provided towards
their patients.
This award was established in 2001, to honor the life of Mindie Bailie, a former Riley patient
and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse. The program was inspired by the book,
“Hannah’s Gift.” A young girl, Hannah, who wore her favorite red shoes into the operating room
and changed the lives of everyone she came in contact with.
Grant grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, but moved to Indianapolis when he was nine years old. “I
didn’t always know I wanted to be a nurse, I first went to IU in Bloomington as a business
student,” said Kreeger. After completing three years of business school, Grant moved back to
Indianapolis where he started working in the healthcare field at Anthem Inc. While shadowing a
nurse at Hancock Regional Hospital, he decided he wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps, who
is an ER doctor.
“I always treat every patient as if they were a loved
one,” said Kreeger, “I view them as though they are my
own grandparents and picture how I would want my
grandparent treated, and then provide that same care.”
Grant was nominated by a patient that he said reminded
him of his brother. “We connected through our sense of
humor, and I always looked forward to seeing him
every day to crack jokes.”
Upon graduating from the Indiana University School of
Nursing (IUSON), Grant plans to move to Tampa,
Florida, where he would like to work at an outpatient
facility. “With an outpatient setting, you are able to
build those bonds and relationships that I love with the
patients. Being able to watch their health improve is my
ultimate goal,” said Kreeger.
Congratulations Grant on this nomination for all your
hard work and dedication to Riley Hospital!