Abby Walimaa, RN

Abby organized a wedding for a patient and his significant other of over 13 years after hearing that the couple wished to be married before the patient went "comfort care" status. Abby dedicated extensive time and effort to ensuring the day was special for her patient and family by organizing a chaplain, a wedding cake, and a ceremony for the couple. The compassion that Abby showed to this patient was patient-centered and extremely kind. Moreover, this is a memory that the patient's wife will remember and cherish for the rest of her life.

It is because of nurses like Abby that patients feel comforted in their last days on earth. Not only was Abby with the patient and family during the ceremony, but she sat with them in the patient's last minutes of life and ensured the patient was as comfortable as possible. She exemplified the DAISY spirit to the utmost degree; her nursing skill demonstrated leadership on the patient care unit for other nurses to model their care alike to hers, and her ability to provide excellence to her patient and family was valuable on an emotional and spiritual level. I think Abby is a beautiful example of the DAISY award for nursing excellence.