Pamela Ourada

Nursing does not always end when a patient leaves the hospital, nor is it always directed only to the patient. Such was the case for an Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center patient, his family, and his nurse Pamela Ourada, R.N.

While at ASMMC, Dan found comfort in the time spent with and guidance received from Pam. Over time, the two came to know quite a bit about each other, beyond the disease he was battling. Even when he didn’t have to be there, Dan would occasionally visit Pam at ASMMC to catch up and check in. According to his sister, Elizabeth, he felt understood by and comfortable with Pam and the nursing team, a “real gift” to her brother.

Tragically, Dan passed away, and his family is still coping with their loss. However, they recognize how dedicated the nursing team, Pam in particular, had been to him and took time to write a note of thanks. “You are an excellent nurse and you helped our entire family start to learn about mental illness…it was a big learning curve for all of us, but you helped us, and that was great. Most of all, you helped my brother, and we’ll never forget that,” wrote Elizabeth.

Pictured (L-R): Lori Shaw, R.N.; Elizabeth Graeser Thurlow (patient’s sister) holding Jennifer Thurlow; Pamela Ourada, RN (DAISY Award Honoree); Jennifer Martone (patient’s sister) holding Joey Martone; Ella Martone; and Nanci Graeser (patient’s mother).