October 2012
Cathy
Pacholik
,
BSN, RN
Care Management
Advocate Christ Medical Center
Oak Lawn
,
IL
United States
Cathy's care and compassion can never be compared. Her dedication to patients, families, and staff exemplifies kindness and self-sacrifice of service. Cathy has touched the lives and hearts of so many people, that she does not realize how much of a DAISY (flower) she is.
There is a patient in our unit who has been hospitalized for 8 months and is battling with heart failure. Cathy has faithfully visited this patient for a long time without fail to share a funny story or give him comforting words of encouragement. Most days she would never leave him without bringing him sweets. Cathy continued to visit him and look for ways to help him cope with the challenges this young man has faced for a long time. Cathy is a DAISY Nurse because this patient rarely has visitors coming to see him so the friends and family he has is in our hospital. To brighten his day, Cathy brings him treats and looks for opportunities to change his environment and make his stay feel like home. This particular patient may never get a chance to go home because he needs a heart, so everyday Cathy shares a piece of her heart with him.
Cathy has humility, kindness, respect, and human compassion. She does not judge, she just embraces. So just to bring a little love into this patient's heart, Cathy put together a Christmas in Hawaii in the ASHU. She rounded up every service involved in his care: ASHU nurses, doctors, transplant and VAD coordinators, PT/OT, respiratory, physicians, perfusion, cardiac rehab, and so many more. Cathy, along with so many others, turned the ASHU conference room into a Hawaiian getaway filled with food, decorations, music, fun, and laughter.
Cathy has become like a mother to him; the other day when the patient went for a walk when he passed by her he gave her a hug. Now the amazing thing about that was when he removed his arm he left a drop of blood on her white lab coat on her right arm. The significant thing about that was the blood stain on her jacket was in the shape of a heart. She has shown this patient and so many others kindness beyond measure. What she did for this particular patient not only touched his life but the nurses in ASHU, who needed something to lift their spirits. We are truly blessed to have her and so are our patients. I could write forever about the care, compassion, willingness to listen, and encouraging words Cathy gives; she is a true DAISY Nurse!
There is a patient in our unit who has been hospitalized for 8 months and is battling with heart failure. Cathy has faithfully visited this patient for a long time without fail to share a funny story or give him comforting words of encouragement. Most days she would never leave him without bringing him sweets. Cathy continued to visit him and look for ways to help him cope with the challenges this young man has faced for a long time. Cathy is a DAISY Nurse because this patient rarely has visitors coming to see him so the friends and family he has is in our hospital. To brighten his day, Cathy brings him treats and looks for opportunities to change his environment and make his stay feel like home. This particular patient may never get a chance to go home because he needs a heart, so everyday Cathy shares a piece of her heart with him.
Cathy has humility, kindness, respect, and human compassion. She does not judge, she just embraces. So just to bring a little love into this patient's heart, Cathy put together a Christmas in Hawaii in the ASHU. She rounded up every service involved in his care: ASHU nurses, doctors, transplant and VAD coordinators, PT/OT, respiratory, physicians, perfusion, cardiac rehab, and so many more. Cathy, along with so many others, turned the ASHU conference room into a Hawaiian getaway filled with food, decorations, music, fun, and laughter.
Cathy has become like a mother to him; the other day when the patient went for a walk when he passed by her he gave her a hug. Now the amazing thing about that was when he removed his arm he left a drop of blood on her white lab coat on her right arm. The significant thing about that was the blood stain on her jacket was in the shape of a heart. She has shown this patient and so many others kindness beyond measure. What she did for this particular patient not only touched his life but the nurses in ASHU, who needed something to lift their spirits. We are truly blessed to have her and so are our patients. I could write forever about the care, compassion, willingness to listen, and encouraging words Cathy gives; she is a true DAISY Nurse!