Dana has extraordinary compassion when caring for patients, families, and co-workers. She does not hesitate to do the right thing at each opportunity to be helpful. She receives frequent praise and recognition from her patients and co-workers. Her patients have stated she has an "amazing bedside manner", "compassion seemed to exude from her presence in the room", and "she provided all the information I needed". She often comes in on her own time to visit with patients or stays after a shift to check on patients to assure their personal needs are met, especially those that have limited family assistance.
Recently passing through the hallways a visitor observed Dana sitting at a bedside holding a patient's hand. Later I learned this patient who was in wrist restraints and mittens was agitated. She advocated for this patient with the doctor to remove the restraints and a sitter was requested; one was not available. The patient was "fine" and stayed in the bed/chair as long as someone was in the room. As the patient could become agitated, Dana would take extra time to sit at the bedside and hold the patient's hand. She further advocated for the patient with her co-workers and "rallied the team" to come together to care for the patient, so that the restraints could remain off.
The staff together were the sitters and instead of documenting at the desk, they went to the room and sat with him and documented. Because Dana is an outstanding role model for compassionate care and frequently helps others and displays a genuine commitment to excellence and safety in her daily assignments, she also recognized her team and stated the nurses helped her with her other patients so she could stay with him more and made a point to keep him safe and keep him off restraints.
Dana is extraordinary and did not see this as something she did that was special. She was quick to recognize her co-workers, her team, and as the Barnes family acknowledges - it takes a team - to make these accomplishments and this is a story of extraordinary compassion and teamwork. Some nurses are recognized for one event that is extraordinary, Dana practices the extraordinary every day.