Deanna was my husband's nurse following a surgical procedure. When we arrived on the floor, I shared with her that my husband suffered from severe medical anxiety due to experiences with repeated medical traumas and that good communication would be a huge asset in his care. I did this because my husband has renal failure, and I've learned that I need to explain to his care team his condition so that they can understand how best to interact with him. Her interactions with my husband showed her genuine care and concern for him and that she had the skills and capacity to truly understand not only his current physical medical condition but also his mental and emotional health. Later that evening, approximately an hour before the end of Deanna's shift, my husband and a resident had a disagreement regarding his care. This encounter elicited the trauma response of flight in my husband, and he demanded to be signed out of AMA. At that time, I did not believe he would have been medically safe to be discharged. The encounter had my husband emotionally distraught, and visibility, you could see that he was in distress. When Deanna arrived at the room, she displayed great compassion and respect towards my husband and me, taking the time to listen and understand the situation. She displayed excellent emotional stability, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills when responding to my husband.
Deanna's quick intervention aided in my husband's decision to remain in the hospital to continue to receive the medical attention he needed. My husband and I also noted that Deanna was there past the time she was supposed to get off and yet still went the extra mile with the handoff to the next shift by coming back to his room with the nurse now coming on to speak to us and to let us know that she explained everything to the next nurse, personally introduced us to her and then said goodbye. It is not always what is said or what is done but instead how it is said or done. Deanna truly went above and beyond to care for my husband, and I specifically asked her charge nurse for information on the DAISY Award because I wanted to be sure she was acknowledged for a fabulous job. Thank you, Deanna; please keep up the good work. We need more nurses like you.