September 2024
Hillary
Morgan
,
RN
CVICU
The University of Cincinnati Medical Center
Cincinnati
,
OH
United States
Hillary remained steadfast in her efforts to do whatever it took to ensure he remained alive and with us. She went above and beyond to not only make sure he was taken care of, but she also did what she could to support us.
My 39 yo brother in law, J, was IP at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for three months as a patient in the CVICU. He presented to the ED at an OSH with SOB and was diagnosed with ARDS. He was transferred to UCMC after he was cannulated and placed on VV ECMO. We were and are grateful that UCMC agreed to accept him. The staff at UCMC saved his life. He remained on life support consisting of ECMO, mechanical ventilation and nutrition for the duration of his CVICU stay. He fought for his life every minute of every day. Our family fought with him. It was a roller coaster, to say the least. His providers provided top-notch care and worked 24/7 to keep him alive and with us. They did everything they could to increase his chances of survival from 50/50 to 60/40 and so on. They left no stone unturned. His team ultimately coordinated care with UK's lung transplant center, where he was transferred for lung transplant evaluation. I am pleased to share that he had a bilateral lung transplant. The surgery went well with no major complications. He was d/cd from UK to an IP rehabilitation center in Lexington, KY. He is doing wonderful all around and we anticipate him being d/c from rehab soon. As I have recently been able to stop and reflect on his journey, I can't help but feel completely overwhelmed with gratitude for the excellent care he received. From Mercy West to UCMC to UK and now Cardinal Hill Rehab Center, he has been in great hands. There is a special person who continues to stand out amongst all the others, and we want to formally recognize her by nominating her for the DAISY Award.
Her name is Hillary Morgan. Hillary works as a CVICU RN at UCMC. She was one of J's nurses during the duration of his IP stay. From the first time J had her as his nurse until the time he was d/c, she remained steadfast in her efforts to do whatever it took to ensure he remained alive and with us. She went above and beyond to not only make sure he was taken care of, but she also did what she could to support us. During our visits, she always made sure to come in and update us and answer any questions. Even when she wasn't J's assigned nurse, she checked in with him and us. When I called in for updates, she always took the time to speak with me and make sure I got all the information I needed. From the first time I spoke with her, it was obvious that she knew her stuff! I observed Hillary taking care of J on many occasions. She got to know him even though he was unable to speak. She could read his lips like no other and understood his gestures and body language such that it was clear she paid attention and cared. At one point, he was having problems getting his circadian rhythm in order and was also having severe anxiety related to feeling claustrophobic. So when a room with a large window became available, she took it upon herself to move him and all his pictures, belongings, etc in, into his room. This helped tremendously!
There was a time when he drastically declined, and I was very concerned. He was starting to show signs of an infection but was also going through weaning trials on ECMO. While the team watched and waited to see how things would pan out, I felt helpless as minutes turned into hours and hours into days. I remember feeling relieved when I came in for my daily visit and she was on duty. I told her about my concerns, and she agreed. She said, "I know J". Thanks to her knowing him, she could tell something was off and realized rather quickly that an infection was brewing. She was not shy about speaking up to the care team about this and advocating on his behalf. Because of her advocacy, he was able to get something to help calm him so he could sleep, which decreased the metabolic demand on his body as well. They would ultimately increase his ECMO support when cultures came back that grew MRSA. It took some time, but he did improve and his vitals stabilized.
Knowing she would be on duty for the two to three days brought me great comfort. As not only a nurse but a human being, Hillary is uplifting, caring, reliable, creative, compassionate, and fierce. She is professional, intelligent, and personable. We are and will remain grateful that she came into our lives. Thank you for the opportunity to honor her and share what she means to our family by nominating her. She is a true DAISY Nurse.
Her name is Hillary Morgan. Hillary works as a CVICU RN at UCMC. She was one of J's nurses during the duration of his IP stay. From the first time J had her as his nurse until the time he was d/c, she remained steadfast in her efforts to do whatever it took to ensure he remained alive and with us. She went above and beyond to not only make sure he was taken care of, but she also did what she could to support us. During our visits, she always made sure to come in and update us and answer any questions. Even when she wasn't J's assigned nurse, she checked in with him and us. When I called in for updates, she always took the time to speak with me and make sure I got all the information I needed. From the first time I spoke with her, it was obvious that she knew her stuff! I observed Hillary taking care of J on many occasions. She got to know him even though he was unable to speak. She could read his lips like no other and understood his gestures and body language such that it was clear she paid attention and cared. At one point, he was having problems getting his circadian rhythm in order and was also having severe anxiety related to feeling claustrophobic. So when a room with a large window became available, she took it upon herself to move him and all his pictures, belongings, etc in, into his room. This helped tremendously!
There was a time when he drastically declined, and I was very concerned. He was starting to show signs of an infection but was also going through weaning trials on ECMO. While the team watched and waited to see how things would pan out, I felt helpless as minutes turned into hours and hours into days. I remember feeling relieved when I came in for my daily visit and she was on duty. I told her about my concerns, and she agreed. She said, "I know J". Thanks to her knowing him, she could tell something was off and realized rather quickly that an infection was brewing. She was not shy about speaking up to the care team about this and advocating on his behalf. Because of her advocacy, he was able to get something to help calm him so he could sleep, which decreased the metabolic demand on his body as well. They would ultimately increase his ECMO support when cultures came back that grew MRSA. It took some time, but he did improve and his vitals stabilized.
Knowing she would be on duty for the two to three days brought me great comfort. As not only a nurse but a human being, Hillary is uplifting, caring, reliable, creative, compassionate, and fierce. She is professional, intelligent, and personable. We are and will remain grateful that she came into our lives. Thank you for the opportunity to honor her and share what she means to our family by nominating her. She is a true DAISY Nurse.