Dan was the first nurse caring for our mom when she entered ICU and was her nurse during the last two days of her life more than 3 weeks later. During that time, Mom was expertly cared by many nurses, any of whom could be the recipient of this award but, Dan stands out for his commitment to our mom specifically, and for the deep trust he built with our dad, who was there each of those long days.
His attention to detail, medical expertise, consistency, and positive attitude are among the many traits that stood out to us. He regularly took extra time to talk to us, explaining and helping us (particularly our dad) navigate what turned out to be a long, frustrating, and painful ordeal. Dan spoke to each of us in a way that made us know our specific input mattered, listening intently to each of our concerns and questions. He patiently explained procedures and outcomes with our dad, providing information that was both straight-forward and compassionate. The consistency of his professionalism was amazing.
When Dan was in the room, we all saw over and over again that our mom was in thoughtful caring hands, and that his attention was entirely with her, her health, and her quality of life. He spoke to her with such confidence and clarity each time he was with her, and she responded to his voice and touch as much as she did to ours. Dan was one of the reasons we maintained high hopes for Mom's eventual recovery, and the person we all turned to at the end. We think he is exemplary, and he has earned our everlasting gratitude.