April 2012
Jennifer
Baird
,
RN
PICU
UCLA HEALTH (CA)
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States
Our family feels very strongly that Jenni Baird, from the PICU unit should receive the DAISY Award. She took excellent care of our 17-year-old daughter during her two stays in the ICU. Our daughter was at UCLA for a bone marrow transplant and soon after receiving chemo therapy developed a fungal lung infection. Jenni was one of the outstanding nurses who gave her great care during the first stay in the ICU. Our daughter was very strong, and after staying 3 weeks in the ICU recovered enough to go to the bone marrow transplant floor.
It seemed as if she were engrafting and getting stronger, and we were hopeful that she was getting better and would be going home at some point. Unfortunately, her condition did not continue to improve and she showed signs of becoming ill again. After spending over a month on the third floor, she returned to the PICU once more.
During the second stay in the ICU, she was frustrated because at first she did not have the continuity of care that we had seen during her first stay in the PICU. We felt that because my daughter was 17, she was typically given the "float" nurse. We also felt that she often lost her assigned nurse after a few hours as the hospital needed to shift their staff to cover shortages. Nevertheless, during her last week in the ICU we finally met Jenni.
Jenni took great care of our entire family. During our daughter’s last week on earth, Jenni made sure she was as comfortable as she could be. Jenni was respectful and kind and we were especially thankful for her willingness to work extra shifts that week, so she would have the care and continuity that she deserved. (**Jenni usually only worked one time per week to allow room to continue with her doctoral program at UCSF, but worked 5 of 7 days during our daughter's last week).
During that last week with Haley, she showed such tender care, and respect to our daughter and our entire family. We will always keep Jenni in a special place in our hearts for Jenni is the type of nurse this award was intended for.
It seemed as if she were engrafting and getting stronger, and we were hopeful that she was getting better and would be going home at some point. Unfortunately, her condition did not continue to improve and she showed signs of becoming ill again. After spending over a month on the third floor, she returned to the PICU once more.
During the second stay in the ICU, she was frustrated because at first she did not have the continuity of care that we had seen during her first stay in the PICU. We felt that because my daughter was 17, she was typically given the "float" nurse. We also felt that she often lost her assigned nurse after a few hours as the hospital needed to shift their staff to cover shortages. Nevertheless, during her last week in the ICU we finally met Jenni.
Jenni took great care of our entire family. During our daughter’s last week on earth, Jenni made sure she was as comfortable as she could be. Jenni was respectful and kind and we were especially thankful for her willingness to work extra shifts that week, so she would have the care and continuity that she deserved. (**Jenni usually only worked one time per week to allow room to continue with her doctoral program at UCSF, but worked 5 of 7 days during our daughter's last week).
During that last week with Haley, she showed such tender care, and respect to our daughter and our entire family. We will always keep Jenni in a special place in our hearts for Jenni is the type of nurse this award was intended for.