My mother landed at Longmont United Hospital with a pulmonary embolism while caring for her Alzheimer's-stricken sister, who had just lost her husband of 62 years. Unable to look after her sister, sad for the loss of her brother-in-law, and feeling far from home (she lives in Chicago), my mom entered the hospital with considerable distress. I sat in her hospital room and watched Amy take care of her.
Amy carried out her formal nursing duties with professionalism and kindness. I was also impressed by her larger acts of compassion. She immediately filled my mom's water bottle with ice whenever asked. She brought ice cream when the cafeteria was closed. She apologized profusely for schedule changes related to my mom's diagnostic procedures, even though she was not at fault. She also listened to my mom's long and sometimes dull stories with interest and laughter, and she and my mom re-hashed the Cubs' history and the game 7 victory the morning after they won the World Series.
When my mom mentioned how much she missed her Bichon Frise dogs, Amy grabbed her phone to show pictures of her Labradors. The two of them swapped puppy stories, training tips, and dog food recommendations. When Amy showed my mom a picture of her infant, the two of them discussed the joy of children and grandchildren.
Baseball, bichons, babies. What other subjects will lift one's spirits when one is stuck in the hospital under both emotional and physical distress?
Amy could have ducked out of my mom's room to cut these conversations short. She chose not to. She chose to engage my mom and make her feel like she was chatting to an old friend. This is not inconsequential, given my mom's recent loss and concern for her sister. The DAISY Award recognizes nurses who demonstrate excellence and compassion by humanizing their patients. Amy Murphy exceeds that ideal.