Dani Crowley
May 2015
Dani
Crowley
,
RN, AD, CHEMO
Oncology
Martin Health System
Stuart
,
FL
United States
Dani was my dad's night shift nurse for the majority of his stay on 3West, during a very sudden diagnosis of stage 3 colon cancer and a large tumor removal in December 2014. He spent nearly 2 weeks with the awesome staff on 3West, and all of the nurses and PCTs were so compassionate and accommodating; thanks to you all!
We were so fortunate to have Dani as my dad's nurse. She lightened the mood in spite of everything as she willingly listened to my dad tell stories about his kids, even sharing family photographs with her, all while we knew she was still busy with other patients. She always gave us her full attention when she was in our room and never made us feel like she had three other patients to get to. She is a nurse that goes above and beyond and this was demonstrated even on her first night with us. My dad was first put into a double occupancy room, which was difficult for all of us since his diagnosis was so new and he was still trying to grasp it all, while also going through an awful GI bleed. Noticing this, the staff on 3West moved us to a single patient room near the nursing station as soon as one was available. Then Dani had us that night and went out of her way to see if she could move us to an even bigger room with a dinner table and pull-out couch since she knew my husband and I would also be staying with my dad. It was the most thoughtful gesture.
When Dani had us that first night, it was her fourth night in a row working and yet she was not tired, or disinterested, but compassionate and welcoming. When she was asked to work the next night by her supervisor to help with staffing, she agreed and worked until her seventh night in a row. We had her each night and when we didn't, she still called to check in on my dad. She is truly a special nurse.
I will never forget one particular moment. It wasn't until my dad returned from surgery, still scared of dying, that Dani told me that my dad had expressed to her prior to surgery that he truly felt that this was the end; that it was his time to die and he was scared. My dad told me later that Dani stayed by his bedside, held his hand when he needed it, and comforted him through all of these moments of doubt and fear. She told him, "dying isn't an option", and that he was going to make it. She was always positive, made him believe in just how strong he was and kept his spirit up. She was there for him in every sense of the phrase, and not because she had to be, but because she wanted to be. She cared.
That is the kind of incredible nurse that Dani is. That is what separates her from any other nurse I've encountered both while my dad was a patient, and while working at Martin. She is a true asset to 3West and Martin Health System as a whole, and she wholeheartedly deserves the DAISY Award.
We were so fortunate to have Dani as my dad's nurse. She lightened the mood in spite of everything as she willingly listened to my dad tell stories about his kids, even sharing family photographs with her, all while we knew she was still busy with other patients. She always gave us her full attention when she was in our room and never made us feel like she had three other patients to get to. She is a nurse that goes above and beyond and this was demonstrated even on her first night with us. My dad was first put into a double occupancy room, which was difficult for all of us since his diagnosis was so new and he was still trying to grasp it all, while also going through an awful GI bleed. Noticing this, the staff on 3West moved us to a single patient room near the nursing station as soon as one was available. Then Dani had us that night and went out of her way to see if she could move us to an even bigger room with a dinner table and pull-out couch since she knew my husband and I would also be staying with my dad. It was the most thoughtful gesture.
When Dani had us that first night, it was her fourth night in a row working and yet she was not tired, or disinterested, but compassionate and welcoming. When she was asked to work the next night by her supervisor to help with staffing, she agreed and worked until her seventh night in a row. We had her each night and when we didn't, she still called to check in on my dad. She is truly a special nurse.
I will never forget one particular moment. It wasn't until my dad returned from surgery, still scared of dying, that Dani told me that my dad had expressed to her prior to surgery that he truly felt that this was the end; that it was his time to die and he was scared. My dad told me later that Dani stayed by his bedside, held his hand when he needed it, and comforted him through all of these moments of doubt and fear. She told him, "dying isn't an option", and that he was going to make it. She was always positive, made him believe in just how strong he was and kept his spirit up. She was there for him in every sense of the phrase, and not because she had to be, but because she wanted to be. She cared.
That is the kind of incredible nurse that Dani is. That is what separates her from any other nurse I've encountered both while my dad was a patient, and while working at Martin. She is a true asset to 3West and Martin Health System as a whole, and she wholeheartedly deserves the DAISY Award.