Working in the Allergy and Immunology Clinic has prompted me to remember Marin Luther King’s words: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, her should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” (Martin Luther King) Because that is how I would describe the way Caye McMasters performs her job at Texas Children's Hospital, allergy and Immunology/Pulmonary Clinic.

I would like to nominate Caye McMasters as a Daisy Award Recipient. Each day in the A & I Clinic is ever changing. Some days it is a multitude of allergy test, while others a large number of blood draws, and yet others a lot of infusions, still others there are numerous immunizations to be given. Then other days it is just a combination of both. Caye does nto let this affect the way she carried out her job.

Caye is what I would term a forward thinker who realizes that to make log-term improvements, it is often necessary to suffer a bit in the short term. She has welcomed diversity. She cares for patients with a variety of cultural and religious customs, manner of dress and characteristics. She is not misguided as to treat all patients exactly the same, but rather she treats each child and family as if they were her own.

Care provides new employees to the clinic with extra teaching, coaching and support, which helps us to gain confidence and perform to our best abilities. She is reliable, diligence, and compassionate. She adjusted that way she does things to each situation and individual, which in turn motivates fellow nurses and employees.

Then there are the times when she spends a great deal of time on the care of an individual patient in need, then immediately turns around and helps to schedule work in a joint effort with a patient/family: other clinics/providers to help care for patients whose appointments were delayed, helping to cut down on the waiting, helping to shorten the time before a patient sees their provider. This often interferes or changes her schedule or routine, but she says that our lives around here are all about the patient, not making our schedule “convenient”. She is very cognizant of patients who may be waiting a little longer than usual for various reasons. Those are the times when she becomes a “hostesses” by simply communicating the delay or the concerns with the patient, apologizing for the delay, and being compassionate to the time frame. It is the “Golden Rule” in action.

She is always available to teach and to provide the best care. She is always available to support both the staff and patients. She creates a cheerful and compassionate climate which is the best possible environment to care for our team members bringing out the strengths in each person she meets. She doesn’t try to make other staff members into a “cookie cutter” styled nurses; instead she stresses the importance of being an individual and providing unconditional support of other nurses. It’s often been said hat nurses “eat their own”, Caye teaches her own. She doesn’t motivate her fellow employees by fear and reprimand, instead she motivates you t find happiness and meaning in your job, to love what you do. She provides the intangibles to the patients and other staff by making them feel appreciated and part of the team. She stands up to those who are not looking out for the patient’s best interest. She lets doctors, fellow nurses or other employees know if their behavior is unacceptable and interfering with patient care.

She is eager to help, willing to answer questions and talk to the patients and families. There were times when we were short staffed; she never let that be an excuse to patients or their families. She is able to communicate effectively to parents and /or patients no matter what their back ground, teachers, lawyers, computer programmers; she has the capability to communicate to them in such an easy going manner that puts people at ease. She reminds fellow employees not to lose focus that it’s the patients who matter most. She welcomes diversity and unconditional support of her fellow nurse.

She does not realize that her actions create a chain reaction which motivates and challenges her coworkers to work toward true success, which is the ability of a team to partner together to achieve common goals, of excellent, extraordinary patient care. To Caye, it isn’t’ just a nurse caring for a patient: it’s a friendship, family, a friend or family member taking care of another friend/family member. She delivers diverse, dynamic and dedicated superior care to her patients.

Cay believes that the secret of the patient care is caring for the patient. For Caye caring is an emotion which was inborn, a gift perhaps that grew from her past experiences, a gift that bore the fruit of compassion. Caye has an element of unselfishness, giving of herself to the patients. She empathizes with the many difficulties each child and parent she comes in contact with.

To Caye it is important to be in contact with the patients and their families, to put a face with a name. Caye is quick to do that. Not for recognition, but because she cares. People often say don’t get involved or emotionally attached to your patient, to maintain a distance from patients, but if you care for the sick that is impossible. Compassion is another word for Love. Caye loves her patients and countless times when Caye has makes suggestions to one of the doctors for another treatment/test based on the patient’s needs or requests, or describing the patient and families concerns regarding a particular treatment/test, risking conflict with physicians, but being a relentless guardian for her patients.

Excellent doctors with excellent nurses, like Caye, create such synergy that exceptional outcomes are guaranteed for our patients. Collaboration with great nurses, such as Caye, ensures excellent patient outcomes an internal work satisfaction for all team members. I am not sure what Caye wanted to do with her life, but she was called to be a nurse, (and as I borrow the words that Martin Luther King said) and she has cared for patients, patient’s families and coworkers as Michelangelo painted, as Beethoven composed music and as Shakespeare wrote poetry. She has cared so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth have paused to say, here lived a great nurse who has done her job well.