Candice Sims, Grady Memorial Hospital

“I believe you should be the nurse that you want to take care of you,” the 46-year-old military veteran said. “You don’t want that nurse who’s not personable and not smiling.”

Sims’ calm demeanor and dedication to patient care are impactful, according to Grady nurse leader Jared Purvis, who nominated her for the award.

“She builds such a rapport with patients under her care that, when they move to another unit, she will visit them so they know they will see a familiar face during their care,” he wrote.

In one of these visits, Sims noticed a patient exhibiting confusion and a facial droop. “Without hesitation, Candice called a code stroke, leading to swift intervention by the stroke team and lifesaving treatment for the patient,” Purvis wrote.

Nursing is a second career for Purvis, who served 14 years with the U.S. Navy. The native Atlantan was always inquisitive about medicine and was placed on the first aid team for her naval unit.

When transitioning out of the military and not knowing what to do next, Sims helped a young lady who needed someone to sit with her mother, who had dementia.

“That just kick-started everything,” Sims said. “This is something I wanted to do. I wanted to help people. That’s when I said, ‘I think I’m going to be a nurse.’”

She also wanted to get a solid foundation in nursing as an LPN.

One of her first jobs was at a doctor’s office with a practitioner who took his time with patients. He did not rush them, Sims said, and his mannerisms impressed her.

“That’s where I got my compassion and nurturing,” she said. “Sometimes, people may just need to talk. And you learn so much when they’re telling you their story.”

After moving back to Georgia to be near her parents, Sims returned to school and got her nursing degree at Piedmont University. She and her 16-year-old son currently live in Villa Rica.

Her goal was to work at Grady, and she’s been caring for heart failure patients at the hospital since 2023.

At Grady, Sims carefully listens to her patients, just like she did elsewhere. During those early days, she would stay in the patient’s room while filling out her charts by pen and take time to listen to them.

“Sometimes, as a nurse, we don’t make time to listen to the patient because we have other patients, and we kind of cut the conversation short,” she said. “I feel like the LPN in me has honed in on how to carve that time out and give the patient those extra few minutes and just listen.”

Sims is also an active member of the hospital’s unit-based council, helping lead several initiatives to improve patient outcomes and patient experience.

“Candice’s unwavering commitment to patient safety, her positive attitude, and her willingness to go above and beyond make her an invaluable member of our team,” Purvis wrote.

Read about our other 2025 winners