"Alyssa Sweeney, thank you for being you. Don't ever change. We need more nurses like you. Thank you for treating me with so much kindness and empathy." That was the message relayed to Alyssa Sweeney, RN, by the patient who nominated her for the DAISY Award.
In the nomination, the patient wrote that she was admitted with issues related to substance abuse. She expressed her gratitude to Sweeney for not judging her, listening to her needs, taking the time to help her be more positive, and making her stay a lot easier. "Alyssa made me feel very cared for, and her compassion helped me heal faster, get stronger faster, and be more positive about my aftercare. You helped me regain strength and find hope when I was truly feeling helpless. You have done more for me than you even know. You made me feel like there truly are possibilities in my future. I had lost that feeling and somehow you gave it back."
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I wholeheartedly agree with the patient's portrayal of the care, compassion, respect and overall approach Alyssa has for every patient she cares for. She listened. She did not try to fix or change the patient. Alyssa partnered with the patient and made a plan to achieve certain goals for the day - goals that would make the patient feel better in between medical interventions. The compassionate care and empathy she provided allowed the patient to trust not only Alyssa but the entire team.