Dania showed amazing poise skills and compassion while taking care of a patient on 4West. Throughout the patient’s hospital stay, Dania was able to keep the patient in the center and accept that his family was working through their grief. This patient was admitted with a brain tumor and difficulty swallowing. The patient also had multiple underlying co-morbidities. During the course of Dania’s first shift with the patient the went from 3.5L to 60 liters high flow requirements due to an aspiration event the previous evening. Dania maintained her calm and provided extensive explanations as to what was happening physiologically.

Additionally, Dania advocated with the physician to make sure the physician was aware of the absolute distraught nature of the family and their need to understand exactly what was happening with the patient. Dania and the physician spent extensive time explaining to the family what the prognosis was for the patient, and the unfeasibility of many interventions. She additionally coordinated with RT to make sure that the patient was stable on the ever-increasing needs of O2. Dania also worked with the patient advocate to assure that the patient and family needs were met. The family expressed to the patient advocate that their father was receiving wonderful care. The decision was made at the end of the first shift to let the family gather on Friday to discuss the next steps.

On Friday a large contingent of family was present at various times all wanting extensive information from Dania. She maintained an absolute fantastic rapport with the family explaining again and again (supported by the physician) what the concerns where what the outcomes of various of interventions. Dania also recognized that it was important for this family to be present to support each other and obtained authorization to exceed the standard visitation numbers. The decision was made at the end of the shift to allow remaining family to join on third shift and then withdraw care. Throughout these three days, Dania went above and beyond to provide culturally competent care understanding the love that the family had for their family member and honoring their culture with her explanations and time she spent with them. Dania worked to have the physician support the family as appropriate and assisted in a very emotional wean from oxygen and allowed the patient to have a peaceful transition off the oxygen and provided appropriate care to allow him to pass peacefully during the next shift. His family was with him and were working through their grief over the loss of their patriarch. Dania’s professionalism and compassion clearly exemplifies the values of the DAISY Award.