Donna
Kobs
May 2011
Donna
Kobs
,
RN
ICU
Southern New Hampshire Medical Center
Nashua
,
NH
United States
I do not have the privilege of working with Donna everyday, as I work on a different unit. However, my interactions with her have always been nothing less than pleasant. Through floating and patient transfers out of the ICU, I have had multiple encounters with her. She is always respectful, pleasant, and up-beat. She is never hesitant to lend a helping hand and is always willing to be a resource for other floors when we call down with questions. As a young RN, you find yourself looking for role models in the nursing field with whom you can connect, learn from, and who show you through patient care what excellent nursing is all about.
Recently, I was floated to the ICU; and there had been a young gentleman who had come in as a trauma, who now had an extremely poor prognosis. As this was such a sudden tragedy, the family was in shock. Not only did Donna have to intensely monitor the patient’s status, multiple high-risk medication drips, and fresh post-op surgical wounds including a massive head trauma, she also had the patient’s family to attend to and empathize with. Donna never left the patient’s side or his family. She made a station right outside their room so they could have privacy while still being within eyesight of them so that she could attend to their every need. Providers were calling her on a regular basis, looking for updates and relying on her expert assessment skills to notify them of any changes. She coordinated pastoral care and helped with the management of the family during all of this as well. Unfortunately, the patient did pass away a few hours later. As the family slowly went home, all that was left was the patient’s wife and daughter.
Before they left, they gave Donna a huge hug, thanking her for helping them
through these few tragic hours of saying good-bye to someone they loved. In the few hours that I had been down there to float, Donna not only exemplified expert nursing skills in critical medications, assessments, and surgical site care; but she also reminded me of what the core of nursing is all about -- caring. I feel that she is highly deserving of the DAISY Award.
Recently, I was floated to the ICU; and there had been a young gentleman who had come in as a trauma, who now had an extremely poor prognosis. As this was such a sudden tragedy, the family was in shock. Not only did Donna have to intensely monitor the patient’s status, multiple high-risk medication drips, and fresh post-op surgical wounds including a massive head trauma, she also had the patient’s family to attend to and empathize with. Donna never left the patient’s side or his family. She made a station right outside their room so they could have privacy while still being within eyesight of them so that she could attend to their every need. Providers were calling her on a regular basis, looking for updates and relying on her expert assessment skills to notify them of any changes. She coordinated pastoral care and helped with the management of the family during all of this as well. Unfortunately, the patient did pass away a few hours later. As the family slowly went home, all that was left was the patient’s wife and daughter.
Before they left, they gave Donna a huge hug, thanking her for helping them
through these few tragic hours of saying good-bye to someone they loved. In the few hours that I had been down there to float, Donna not only exemplified expert nursing skills in critical medications, assessments, and surgical site care; but she also reminded me of what the core of nursing is all about -- caring. I feel that she is highly deserving of the DAISY Award.