The below conversation was so graciously shared with me by a patient representative... "I received a call from the daughter of a patient that was on your unit over the weekend. She called into our office to ensure that the nurses she interacted with on Saturday night/Sunday morning were recognized for their compassion and love of their jobs. She specifically mentioned a night nurse named Allie and the Charge Nurse for the night, Eileen. She said that Allie called her late Saturday night to inform her that her father’s condition was declining and she should try to return as soon as possible. She promised the daughter that she would sit with her father until she arrived to ensure that he was not alone. Whenever Allie had to step away for another patient, the charge nurse would swap out with her to make sure someone was there. Both nurses took the time to comfort the patient’s daughter and rubbed her back and gave much-needed hugs when needed. These nurses made her feel like a priority and made an awful moment better.”

She also wanted to commend Chelsea who took over during the day shift. “She was equally as phenomenal for her care and compassion. It’s always wonderful to hear this type of feedback from the families of our patients! It’s teams like yours that made Shands the wonderful place that it is. Thank you for all that you and your team do to impact the patient experience, especially during hard times like this one."

Alison is one of those nurses whose presence alone will make you feel better. She cares for her patients and colleagues with the utmost compassion and empathy. In this particular case, Allie went above and beyond ensuring the patient's daughter was notified promptly when their loved one rapidly took a turn in a different direction. She assured the daughter that she would not leave the patient alone at all until she could arrive to the bedside to be with her loved one. Given the circumstances around staffing, Allie had a full assignment of 3 patients and my Clinical Leader, Eileen was working over the weekend to help in a charge nurse role.

Alison and Eileen paired up to care for the other patients and still ensure that this patient was never left without a hand to hold until his daughter arrived. The patient passed very soon after his loved one arrived, and they stayed by her side to console her until she was ready to part. Their compassion and teamwork are truly exemplary and have been vital in creating the culture within the team they work on. The love of what they do really shines through the care they provide to all their patients.

Note: This is Eileen's 2nd DAISY Award!