DAISY winners provide support, show compassion
Patients receive care during many seasons of life, and MetroHealth nurses are there every step of the way.
MetroHealth's recent DAISY winners provided support, compassion and hope during patients' most challenging times.
According to a colleague, Judith Szerencsy, RN, demonstrated the highest level of compassion while providing support to a grieving family.
A patient was transported by Metro Lift Flight and admitted to the Trauma Intensive Care Unit after sustaining injuries during a car accident. She was in her third trimester of pregnancy.
The patient needed to be induced to deliver the baby, who didn't survive the crash. She developed blood clots and needed an emergency supply of clotting factors.
"When picking assignments, Judith volunteered. We all knew how difficult that scenario was to jump into. Judith did it with compassion and experience," the nominator wrote.
The patient delivered a baby who was described as "robust and beautiful." Judith supported the baby's father and grandmother while gathering the necessary documentation. Although there is an order to the process, "there was nothing routine about it to her," the nominator wrote of Judith. The baby's handprints, footprints and photos were taken. "Judith made the grandma feel so welcome, and was so supportive. She did everything with her input ... down to the hat she liked best, and giving her a burial gown. I was amazed by her composure and genuine concern for this family," the nominator explained.
"I knew that someone who was very empathetic and seasoned was with this patient and this angel baby," concluded the nominator, a charge nurse.
Reassuring words from Jarett Kamm, RN, helped a patient feel comfortable about the next step needed for care.
Jarett "shows incredible kindness, compassion and empathy to his patients. I experienced it recently," the patient wrote.
The patient needed rehabilitation after an illness. Jarett was one of the nurses assigned to provide care. "Not only is Jarett an efficient and meticulous nurse, he worked cheerfully and with vigor through a more than 12-hour shift the night I had the pleasure of being his patient." The nominator added that Jarett continuously checked in "to make sure I was comfortable and okay."
Jarett didn't just provide care, he also shared words of encouragement. "His advice to me was both insightful and reassuring that rehab is the right move. He took a good amount of time to talk to me about it, reassuring me it will be a good thing," the nominator wrote.
The patient noted that Jarett's care and attention is "the sign of a truly dedicated professional."
A patient recently nominated two nurses – Alma Rodriguez and Nick Bowers – whose special attention to care made a challenging birthday special.
The patient was in a motorcycle accident that resulted in five surgeries in four days. "I was as miserable as anyone can imagine," he wrote.
"Alma was there for me … always with a smile and words of encouragement," the patient wrote.
The patient was told that his leg needed to be amputated. The surgery took place on his birthday. "She knew my family would come to celebrate my birthday," he wrote. "She was there for me every day no matter what I needed - pain meds, turning me and singing happy birthday with my family. I think she went beyond what most patients would expect. She is such a dedicated, caring nurse. MetroHealth should be proud of her," he wrote of Alma.
The patient also took note of the care Nick provided. After the patient's leg was amputated, Nick was assigned to be one of his nurses. "He had some personal experience caring for amputees. He was very attentive to my special needs," the patient wrote.
When the patient's fever spiked, Nick contacted several clinical areas involved in the patient's care, and made sure he was cooled down. "He cared for me until I was moved to SICU."
Even after the patient was moved, Nick stopped by to check on him. "MetroHealth should be proud of Nick and his attention to caring for his patients, the patient wrote. "He definitely had an impact on my care and my outcome. This says volumes about his dedication to nursing and his patients."
The Burn Unit won an award for pulling together on the night of a tragic house fire. Six patients - 5 children and their mother - were brought to MetroHealth for treatment after their Geauga County home caught fire.
Their nomination form reads, in part, "It truly takes a village when emergency and disaster strike, and the burn unit live to that motto every day. On this November day, their village became a city."
Medical staff stayed late, came in and floated to the scene as the call went out as a "burn disaster."
"Through this burn disaster, the MH team pulled together and gave outstanding, compassionate patient care without impacting care in any other area of the hospital. Some question and say, "Isn't this what we do?" The answer is yes, it is what we do, but many went above and beyond. Staff stayed late...came in on their day off - a holiday. A new graduate nurse floated on a no-float holiday....two nurses in other departments went to the burn unit to help as they had burn experience. ... This group of people...pulled together with a strong sense of mutual commitment and gave awesome care to our patients and their families."
An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, The DAISYFoundation was formed in November, 1999, by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family, so they decided to establish an award.
Founded in 1837, MetroHealth is leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery, and teamwork. Cuyahoga County’s public, safety-net hospital system, MetroHealth meets people where they are, providing care through four hospitals, four emergency departments, and more than 20 health centers and 40 additional sites. Each day, our 8,000 employees focus on providing our community with equitable health care–through patient-focused research, access to care, and support services–that seeks to eradicate health disparities rooted in systematic barriers. For more information, visit metrohealth.org.
