I am writing on behalf of my father. My father was recently admitted to UMass Memorial which unfortunately isn't something that is all too uncommon for him. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in late 2001, he has had a long course with this debilitating disease as it has taken away his ability to work, walk, and to independently care for himself. Throughout his battle with MS, he has had several admissions.
Although he never enjoys being hospitalized, his most recent admission was the best experience he has had throughout the past 17 years. Jackie was his nurse on a previous admission and recognized my father and his family; she went out of her way to make sure that we knew my dad was being cared for. Jackie is a caring nurse; she communicates to the patient and family. She goes above and beyond, but I suspect doesn't believe that she is doing anything but her job.
My dad required a lot of attention during his admission. He is a "heavy" patient and rarely rings the call light. Jackie didn't rely on him to call and anticipated his needs and he never felt ignored or neglected. She went as far as to get him into the chair. This may not seem like a big deal, but to my dad and our family, it meant so much. Getting my dad out of bed is not an easy task and I'm sure required extra time and resources which we are sure are not in abundance for the floor nurses. I wish we could fully put into words how wonderful Jackie is, but we feel there couldn't be a more deserving person. Considering the acronym standing for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, we felt it even more appropriate.