Corrine Coulter
May 2025
Corrine
Coulter
,
RN
Oncology Patient Care Unit
UCHealth Memorial Hospital
Colorado Springs
,
CO
United States
Corrine exemplifies what it means to be a nurse. She is the very reason this award was created.
There are nurses who provide care, and then there are nurses like Corrine and those who embody the very heart and soul of the profession. I am honored to nominate Corrine for the DAISY Award for the extraordinary compassion, skill, and unwavering support she provided to my 94-year-old grandmother and our entire family during her final days.
My grandmother was a fighter, a woman whose resilience defied all odds. She had beaten colon cancer, undergone multiple surgeries, and continued to live independently despite being legally blind. Even at 94, we truly believed she would live forever. So, when she was admitted to the hospital one Sunday afternoon, none of us imagined she would not be coming home. That night, I received an unexpected call from the provider informing me that she had suddenly become unresponsive, with no clear explanation. I had to make the call I had anticipated would happen at some point, but never wanted to make to tell my mother that things were not looking good and that we needed to get to the hospital immediately.
When we arrived in a panic, we didn’t even know what room she was in. But the moment we stepped onto the floor, we were met by a nurse with a warm, reassuring smile, Corrine. She immediately stopped what she was doing, turned to us, and in the kindest voice asked how she could help. When I gave her my grandmother’s name, she didn’t just point us in the right direction; she explained that she was my grandmother’s nurse and walked us to her room, providing a clear and compassionate update along the way. From that very first moment, I knew my grandmother was in the most capable hands.
Corrine did not treat my grandmother as just another elderly patient in a hospital bed. She did everything in her power to intervene, communicating seamlessly with the medical team, advocating when necessary, and keeping us informed without giving false hope. More importantly, she made sure my family never felt lost or alone in the process. As a nurse myself, I am used to stepping into the role of advocate when a loved one is hospitalized. Often, I feel the need to be hypervigilant, ensuring that everything is being done appropriately. But with Corrine, for the first time, I didn’t have to be a nurse. I could simply be a granddaughter. I trusted her completely, which is an incredible gift in a situation like ours.
When it became clear that my grandmother would not recover, I had to make the devastating decision to transition to comfort care. Corrine guided us through this process with the utmost grace and professionalism. She never made us feel like care was being withdrawn, but rather, she explained everything in a way that reassured us my grandmother would be kept comfortable and at peace. She gave us the space we needed while also anticipating our every need, offering updates, answering questions, and providing gentle reassurance. What stands out the most is the sense of calm and peace that Corrine brought to the entire experience. Just her presence alone made us feel safe and cared for. She allowed us to have meaningful moments with my grandmother in her final hours, undisturbed yet supported.
When the time came and my grandmother took her last breath, I called for Corrine, and she came immediately. She spoke softly, confirming what we already knew, and then, with a quiet kindness, she gave us just the right words enough to comfort us, but not too much to intrude on our grief. As we struggled to find the strength to leave my grandmother’s side, we expressed our gratitude to Corrine for the way she had cared for not just my grandmother, but for all of us. Her response was genuine, unrehearsed, and we could tell it came straight from her heart. She simply said, "It was my honor that you allowed me to be a part of this with you." The sincerity in her voice made it clear that this was not just a job to her; she truly meant it. I have worked with many incredible nurses over the years, but there are some who leave an indelible mark. Corrine is one of them.
Nursing is often measured by the lives we save, but the truest test of a nurse is how they treat a patient in life and in death, with dignity, respect, and compassion. Corrine exemplifies what it means to be a nurse. She is the very reason this award was created.
My grandmother was a fighter, a woman whose resilience defied all odds. She had beaten colon cancer, undergone multiple surgeries, and continued to live independently despite being legally blind. Even at 94, we truly believed she would live forever. So, when she was admitted to the hospital one Sunday afternoon, none of us imagined she would not be coming home. That night, I received an unexpected call from the provider informing me that she had suddenly become unresponsive, with no clear explanation. I had to make the call I had anticipated would happen at some point, but never wanted to make to tell my mother that things were not looking good and that we needed to get to the hospital immediately.
When we arrived in a panic, we didn’t even know what room she was in. But the moment we stepped onto the floor, we were met by a nurse with a warm, reassuring smile, Corrine. She immediately stopped what she was doing, turned to us, and in the kindest voice asked how she could help. When I gave her my grandmother’s name, she didn’t just point us in the right direction; she explained that she was my grandmother’s nurse and walked us to her room, providing a clear and compassionate update along the way. From that very first moment, I knew my grandmother was in the most capable hands.
Corrine did not treat my grandmother as just another elderly patient in a hospital bed. She did everything in her power to intervene, communicating seamlessly with the medical team, advocating when necessary, and keeping us informed without giving false hope. More importantly, she made sure my family never felt lost or alone in the process. As a nurse myself, I am used to stepping into the role of advocate when a loved one is hospitalized. Often, I feel the need to be hypervigilant, ensuring that everything is being done appropriately. But with Corrine, for the first time, I didn’t have to be a nurse. I could simply be a granddaughter. I trusted her completely, which is an incredible gift in a situation like ours.
When it became clear that my grandmother would not recover, I had to make the devastating decision to transition to comfort care. Corrine guided us through this process with the utmost grace and professionalism. She never made us feel like care was being withdrawn, but rather, she explained everything in a way that reassured us my grandmother would be kept comfortable and at peace. She gave us the space we needed while also anticipating our every need, offering updates, answering questions, and providing gentle reassurance. What stands out the most is the sense of calm and peace that Corrine brought to the entire experience. Just her presence alone made us feel safe and cared for. She allowed us to have meaningful moments with my grandmother in her final hours, undisturbed yet supported.
When the time came and my grandmother took her last breath, I called for Corrine, and she came immediately. She spoke softly, confirming what we already knew, and then, with a quiet kindness, she gave us just the right words enough to comfort us, but not too much to intrude on our grief. As we struggled to find the strength to leave my grandmother’s side, we expressed our gratitude to Corrine for the way she had cared for not just my grandmother, but for all of us. Her response was genuine, unrehearsed, and we could tell it came straight from her heart. She simply said, "It was my honor that you allowed me to be a part of this with you." The sincerity in her voice made it clear that this was not just a job to her; she truly meant it. I have worked with many incredible nurses over the years, but there are some who leave an indelible mark. Corrine is one of them.
Nursing is often measured by the lives we save, but the truest test of a nurse is how they treat a patient in life and in death, with dignity, respect, and compassion. Corrine exemplifies what it means to be a nurse. She is the very reason this award was created.