BayCare Health System Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit

During the surge of the Delta Variant of COVID, Bostick 3 had the privilege of caring for two LifeLink Organ Donors. The first of these patients was a very young patient, whose death came as a complete shock, as any death of a young person would be to his family. Throughout the process of caring for the patient with LifeLink, the MSICU team collaborated and went above and beyond to provide care not only to the patient, but also to the patient's family. The patient's mother requested not just a cardiac rhythm strip, but also a recording of the patient's heartbeat before he was going to be leaving to go to the Operating Room for the donation process. Together, the MSICU team called the Echocardiogram department and asked if someone could come to the patient's room, place the imaging probe on the patient's chest and allow one of them to record the sound of the patient's heartbeat on their phone. Without hesitation, two of the Echo Techs arrived in the room, and the MSICU team members were able to obtain an audio recording of the patient's heartbeat, that was then transferred onto a CD and given to the patient's mother. MSICU did not stop there. After printing a cardiac strip for the mom, one of the MSICU nurses thought of a way to get the patient's fingerprints, so the mother could have them. She colored the patient's fingerprints with permanent markers and was able to obtain his fingerprints on the final cardiac strip to provide to his mom, along with a teddy bear that was with the patient until he left for the OR. After donation, LifeLink discussed with the family where the organs were sent and that their loved one saved four people's lives, including a 20-year-old. During this discussion with LifeLink, the patient's mother made a point to tell them that the entire terrible situation was made a little bit easier all because the MSICU team went the extra mile to provide the patient's family the care that they did.

The second of these LifeLink Organ Donors, was also quite young and had young children. Her children had recently lost their father approximately 8 months prior related to COVID complications, and now they were suffering the loss of their mother. Because of the strict visitation during this time, the children were told that they would not be able to visit their mother. This did not sit well with the MSICU team. We worked together with our Director and the AOD to bend the rules, so that the children would be able to visit their mother one last time and say goodbye. We printed cardiac rhythm strips for each of the three children, with their mother's thumb print on it and placed the strips into empty vials that one of the nurses purchased. We planned for the children to be here and participate in the Honor Walk held for their mother, along with other family members. We laid three teddy bears with their mother until they arrived. When they arrived, we presented each child with their teddy bear and the vial containing their mother's cardiac rhythm strip and her fingerprint. We then helped the children make "necklaces" out of the cardiac strip vials and place them on their teddy bears. The three children clutched these teddy bears to their chests as they said their final goodbyes to their mother before she entered the OR to save 3 other people's lives. Before leaving, the patient's mother and children hugged every team member from MSICU and told them thank you.

These small, heartfelt actions by the Bostick 3 MSICU team are why they are more than deserving of The DAISY Team Award. This team has met and exceeded all of the expectations during the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has always provided the most compassionate, personalized, and heartfelt care during these trying times. This team has never faltered throughout the heart-wrenching things that they have had to witness during these last two years, and yet they have remained triumphant and have provided the best care with a smile and a warm hug for anyone who may have wanted or needed one.