The 9A team truly demonstrates what it takes to be a DAISY Team, showing compassion, generosity, care, and concern for their patient population – above and beyond the call of duty. Please see a few examples below: 

A patient who has spent approximately 1 year in our service line, was transferred to our unit. During his hospital stay, the patient was frequently agitated and non-redirectable due to his complex medical conditions. On any given day, security was called several times to assist him. Our team made it a priority to understand the reasons why he would become agitated and spend time building trust and structure in his day-to-day care. They went above and beyond to interact with him despite his behavioral challenges and took time to connect and build rapport. Today, he takes his scheduled medications, is on a healthy eating plan, has a hygiene schedule, and participates in daily activities. Nursing has been observed dancing to his favorite music with him to promote mobility, washing and braiding his hair and taking him outside to assist with his well-being. The team’s engagement in his care has resulted in a decrease in safety events and they look forward to caring for him each day.

Another patient, who suffered from a tragic stroke, arrived to our unit from the neurosurgical intensive care unit. Due to his stroke, he had severe difficulty speaking and could not move the right side of his body. Due to a lack of funding and resources, the patient had intense therapy to rehabilitate his physical and speech deficits within the hospital. During that time, nursing went above and beyond to support him by encouraging him to talk, having an immense amount of patience through his frustrations, and allowing extra time with him to regain his strength and vocabulary. Because of their efforts, he went from only saying a few words to being able to speak in partial sentences. When it became time for him to discharge, nursing raised money to buy him a tablet to ensure he could safely communicate within the community. On his last day, we presented the tablet to him, and he was ecstatic. He immediately began to cry and asked to take a picture with the staff to be able to remember the team that cared for him. 

Additionally, the team had the privilege to care for a young patient who experienced a devastating, ruptured aneurysm. He was a newlywed and had his first baby boy on the way. The team went above and beyond to not only care for the patient but offered immense support to the wife throughout the stay. The nursing team listened to her, offered a shoulder to cry on, provided her with meals, and established a trusting relationship that allowed her to leave the bedside to care for herself and the baby on the way. They even held a baby shower in the room for the patient and his wife. As a result, the wife changed her OB/GYN to an Atrium provider and decided to have her baby at our facility. Once the baby was born, our nurses collaborated with the maternity team to organize the initial meeting between the baby and his father. This was a very special moment for the patient, family, and nursing team. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, the patient declined, and he had to be transferred to the neurosurgical intensive care unit. Shortly after, he was placed on comfort measures. At that time, the family requested for him to return to 9A to be with the team that provided excellent care throughout his stay. He was transferred back to our unit and the team surrounded the patient and family during his final moments. 
    
The above patients and families amongst many others have experienced the unique traits and qualities that this team embodies – compassion, generosity, care, and concern. Because of this team, our patients are better and I believe they are a true DAISY Team!