Peng Shu Mei

Although Taiwan enjoys a vibrant economy, pockets of poverty still exist and families among minority groups still need help to survive. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are typical examples.  Mrs. Lee had been in coma and in the vegetated stage after a stroke and being cared for by her husband at home for months.  Ms. Peng Shu-Mei RN, a home care nurse and case manager for the Lee family, played an important role of being a communicator, counselor, moderator, and listener.  During July 13th to December 28th 2010, nurse Peng Shu-Mei arranged physician home visits for Mrs. Lee, but also proactively led the care team to brainstorm and tried to figure out the best way to provide more appropriate and individualized care.  Here are some examples of her great work:

• The patient’s need is not the only concern for Ms. Peng.  She tried to identify the problems of the whole family by interviewing the patient’s husband, mother, son and brother.  She encouraged the entire family to express their concerns and difficulties and helped to obtain resources from the community.
• After identifying family’s financial difficulty, Ms. Peng helped the patient obtain a free O2 concentrator machine, a nebulizer, and other medical devices, and educated the family members about the usage, cleaning, and maintenance of those devices.
• During home visits, Ms. Peng also discovered the pressure and psychological burden of the primary caregiver.  She provided adequate mental support and encouragement for Mr. Lee.  She assisted Mr. Lee to do “life review” about Mrs. Lee.  By doing so, she encouraged Mr. Lee to build a positive attitude toward life.
• She proactively contacted social service that helped located a charity long term care center that can take ventilator patient.
• She obtained free ambulance for the patient's transport to the center, helping to lighten the family’s financial burden even more.

Thanks to Nurse Peng’s efforts, now Mrs. Lee has settled down in a charity institution.  Mr. Lee was able to get a job and can still visits Mrs. Lee very often.

Details matter.  Ms. Peng distinguished herself by paying close attention to the plight and taking care of the whole family of the patient, and not only conducting routine nursing works.  Nurse Peng has been an employee of Min-Sheng Health System for 12 years.  She has constantly take care the patient and family in an exceptional manner and performed beyond her job responsibilities.  She has consistently gone out of her to helping others.  She deserves the DAISY award because she met the MS health care core values of trust, professionalism, innovation, excellence, and sharing.  Her performance inspired other nurses, and reminded other nurses the reason for choosing nursing as a profession, which is to be the guardian to the patient and family.