Brittany Gray
July 2023
Brittany
Gray
,
BSN, RN
PCICU
St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
Tampa
,
FL
United States
My child looked up at her and said, "You are the best nurse in the whole world,” and then proceeded to give her a hug. My heart swells with emotion when I think about how good she was to us and how great she made us all feel.
As our child came out of surgery, my wife and I were emotionally drained and on edge. This person was our nurse immediately after surgery and for several days afterward. She was the most exceptional nurse our family has ever had, and with our child’s complex history, we have seen hundreds. We were scared and anxious after her surgery, but thank God she and the rest of the team were there to help provide care for our firstborn.
She was able to effectively and efficiently provide medical care, emotional support, and entertainment for our child with ease. She showed up every day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude, and we feel very blessed to have had her as our nurse. It was amazing to watch her navigate the room with all the pumps, lines, tubes, and wires with ease. It was easy to see that she knew exactly what she was doing. After the surgery, our child ran into some complications and required the insertion of a chest tube into her right side. My wife was exhausted and at her breaking point after this, and the next day, she showed up with a cup of coffee and a shoulder for her to cry on. She was there not only as a nurse for our child but also there for us as her parents.
When my child was not feeling well and was unwilling to get out of bed, she was able to motivate our child to move and rewarded efforts with a silly dance and a toy. Despite being trapped in a hospital bed and being in pain she was still able to bring a smile to my child’s face. I will never forget the moment when my child was having a particularly rough day, and she was helping my child use the bathroom. My child looked up at her and said, "You are the best nurse in the whole world,” and then proceeded to give her a hug. My heart swells with emotion when I think about how good she was to us and how great she made us all feel.
We, as a family, would like to nominate her for the DAISY Award because she is the total embodiment of what a nurse is supposed to be. She has captured the essence of nursing and it shows in her practice. She took care of our child and family with her gentle and reassuring presence, hands-on care, and attention to all of our emotional and physical needs. She was there for us in a very difficult time of our life, and we would love to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
She was able to effectively and efficiently provide medical care, emotional support, and entertainment for our child with ease. She showed up every day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude, and we feel very blessed to have had her as our nurse. It was amazing to watch her navigate the room with all the pumps, lines, tubes, and wires with ease. It was easy to see that she knew exactly what she was doing. After the surgery, our child ran into some complications and required the insertion of a chest tube into her right side. My wife was exhausted and at her breaking point after this, and the next day, she showed up with a cup of coffee and a shoulder for her to cry on. She was there not only as a nurse for our child but also there for us as her parents.
When my child was not feeling well and was unwilling to get out of bed, she was able to motivate our child to move and rewarded efforts with a silly dance and a toy. Despite being trapped in a hospital bed and being in pain she was still able to bring a smile to my child’s face. I will never forget the moment when my child was having a particularly rough day, and she was helping my child use the bathroom. My child looked up at her and said, "You are the best nurse in the whole world,” and then proceeded to give her a hug. My heart swells with emotion when I think about how good she was to us and how great she made us all feel.
We, as a family, would like to nominate her for the DAISY Award because she is the total embodiment of what a nurse is supposed to be. She has captured the essence of nursing and it shows in her practice. She took care of our child and family with her gentle and reassuring presence, hands-on care, and attention to all of our emotional and physical needs. She was there for us in a very difficult time of our life, and we would love to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts.