Ed Day
May 2019
Edward
Day
,
BSN, RN
Emergency Department
Massachusetts Eye and Ear
Boston
,
MA
United States
Ed is one of the most compassionate, attentive caregivers I have ever worked with.
Ed Day treats his patients using his knowledge, experience, and humor. I have often been impressed by his interactions with the elderly population that visit our ED. His humor is one of his greatest assets in getting the information he needs from them to better facilitate their care. Although on one recent occasion, it was his care of a pediatric patient and her very anxious parents, that impressed me most.
The patient was a 4-year-old, post-op day 4, who presented to the ED with some pain, dehydration, and a fever. She was feeling pretty crappy and whimpering a bit. Her mom was anxious and very difficult to deal with. Mom, being anxious and upset was setting off the child and the child’s increased crying ramped up the anxiety. All of that behavior put the dad into micromanaging mode, asking a million questions and making suggestions on what he thought the best way to handle the situation would be. It was a vicious cycle. The resident came down from the OR to see the patient and decided to admit her to the pediatric floor.
Ed was charged with handling her admission. He spoke to the child in a calm voice, informing her of every step that he was making along the way. He looked at her arms and found a great vein to place the IV. Once the plan was in place, the patient was moved to a stretcher where mom and I held the patient. Ed carefully and swiftly placed the IV on the first stick, all while hunched over the mom who was sobbing as she tried to calm her daughter. It seemed effortless. The patient’s crying stopped and mom was able to take a breath. Ed even drew blood for labs from the IV so she wouldn’t have to endure a second stick. He took such great care of the entire family, completely diffusing the entire situation. When the family left for the pediatric floor, they were all smiling and thanking us for the care that they had received. It turned what started as a very intense experience into an almost pleasant one, for everyone involved.
***
He is continually professional, caring, and humorous. I recently witnessed an interaction he had with a pediatric patient who was just 4-years-old. The patient had a recent tonsillectomy and had been febrile at home. The patient was accompanied by her parents who were clearly very anxious. Unfortunately, the mother's anxiety came out as anger and her father made it very clear that he was a physician. Not only was Ed able to calm the patient and her parents, but had them laughing within minutes of his first interaction. His clinical skills were on point as he was able to obtain an IV quickly and efficiently on the first try. Ed was able to take what could have been quite a sticky situation and made it a pleasant experience, not only for the patient but for her parents as well. Ed is always willing to come in at a moment’s notice to help with staffing; always arriving with a smile. He has only been with MEE for 1 1/2 years but is looked at as a resource for the department. His skills, professionalism, and humor make him the perfect DAISY Nurse!
***
On one occasion, an elderly man and his spouse arrived around midnight with a traumatic eye injury. The patient needed to be evaluated overnight and seen by a specialist in the morning. Ed secured a bed for the patient and his spouse in the ED for the night. He also provided them with food. When I arrived that morning, the patient was gushing in his praise of Ed and how he treated them throughout the night. He even offered me money to give to Ed as a token of his appreciation. Of course, I had to turn the patient down on this request, but he did express some displeasure that I had to do so.
After the patient returned home from his stay, he sent a letter recounting all that Ed had done for him and repeating his appreciative attitude regarding Ed. I have worked with Ed for over 30 years, and I can assure you that this was not an isolated incident for Ed. He has been doing this for the greater than 30 years I have known and worked with Ed. I can't even guess the number of patients and families he has touched and made a difference over these years. Ed is one of the most compassionate, attentive caregivers I have ever worked with. He models this behavior every day. He is always the first one to step in even on his day off. There have been hundreds of times I have called him at home to come in and help out and he shows up in 20 minutes.
The patient was a 4-year-old, post-op day 4, who presented to the ED with some pain, dehydration, and a fever. She was feeling pretty crappy and whimpering a bit. Her mom was anxious and very difficult to deal with. Mom, being anxious and upset was setting off the child and the child’s increased crying ramped up the anxiety. All of that behavior put the dad into micromanaging mode, asking a million questions and making suggestions on what he thought the best way to handle the situation would be. It was a vicious cycle. The resident came down from the OR to see the patient and decided to admit her to the pediatric floor.
Ed was charged with handling her admission. He spoke to the child in a calm voice, informing her of every step that he was making along the way. He looked at her arms and found a great vein to place the IV. Once the plan was in place, the patient was moved to a stretcher where mom and I held the patient. Ed carefully and swiftly placed the IV on the first stick, all while hunched over the mom who was sobbing as she tried to calm her daughter. It seemed effortless. The patient’s crying stopped and mom was able to take a breath. Ed even drew blood for labs from the IV so she wouldn’t have to endure a second stick. He took such great care of the entire family, completely diffusing the entire situation. When the family left for the pediatric floor, they were all smiling and thanking us for the care that they had received. It turned what started as a very intense experience into an almost pleasant one, for everyone involved.
***
He is continually professional, caring, and humorous. I recently witnessed an interaction he had with a pediatric patient who was just 4-years-old. The patient had a recent tonsillectomy and had been febrile at home. The patient was accompanied by her parents who were clearly very anxious. Unfortunately, the mother's anxiety came out as anger and her father made it very clear that he was a physician. Not only was Ed able to calm the patient and her parents, but had them laughing within minutes of his first interaction. His clinical skills were on point as he was able to obtain an IV quickly and efficiently on the first try. Ed was able to take what could have been quite a sticky situation and made it a pleasant experience, not only for the patient but for her parents as well. Ed is always willing to come in at a moment’s notice to help with staffing; always arriving with a smile. He has only been with MEE for 1 1/2 years but is looked at as a resource for the department. His skills, professionalism, and humor make him the perfect DAISY Nurse!
***
On one occasion, an elderly man and his spouse arrived around midnight with a traumatic eye injury. The patient needed to be evaluated overnight and seen by a specialist in the morning. Ed secured a bed for the patient and his spouse in the ED for the night. He also provided them with food. When I arrived that morning, the patient was gushing in his praise of Ed and how he treated them throughout the night. He even offered me money to give to Ed as a token of his appreciation. Of course, I had to turn the patient down on this request, but he did express some displeasure that I had to do so.
After the patient returned home from his stay, he sent a letter recounting all that Ed had done for him and repeating his appreciative attitude regarding Ed. I have worked with Ed for over 30 years, and I can assure you that this was not an isolated incident for Ed. He has been doing this for the greater than 30 years I have known and worked with Ed. I can't even guess the number of patients and families he has touched and made a difference over these years. Ed is one of the most compassionate, attentive caregivers I have ever worked with. He models this behavior every day. He is always the first one to step in even on his day off. There have been hundreds of times I have called him at home to come in and help out and he shows up in 20 minutes.