In her own quiet way, Heather Negri exemplifies the meaning of DAISY. She is compassionate, passionate about her work, supportive of all of her teammates, an advocate for her patients and their families.
We recently had a patient who was experiencing severe anxiety, apprehension, and confusion while here, especially due to his advanced dementia. During the first few days of his admission, he expressed being worried about his wife and his animals. He was trying to adjust to his new surroundings, and we were learning how to best communicate with him.
Heather took the time to see the man and not the behavior. She was able to find out that he liked to play cribbage, so she took over an hour to sit with him and play the game, exhibiting patience in walking him through his memory lapses. During this time frame you could see him smiling and laughing more, engaged in conversation, and his anxiety and apprehension about his wife were eliminated.
This is just one shining example of how Heather Negri approaches her job on a daily basis. Often this work can overtake us, making us feel like we have little time to just be with patients and get to know them and help them feel more comfortable. Heather takes time for her patients, to advocate for their needs, to face struggles head-on, and to complete her daily tasks with grace and ease. Heather managed her day so well that she was able to take a leisurely hour with the patient without him feeling any constraints and was able to just be with him in his time frame and at his speed.
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Heather Negri consistently cares for patients in a kind manner. She tends to frequently get difficult patients by the luck of the draw. She shows extreme patience and thoughtfulness in her dealings with these patients as well as their families. Today she also displayed courteous but assertive dialogue with the provider to get the necessary medications needed for her patient. Kudos to Heather!