May 2026 Honoree
Kathleen Gallagher, RN
I was a frequent patient at the hospital due to a myriad of health issues, but the most serious is my ongoing kidney disease. I feel blessed that I live so close to a hospital that prides itself on providing the utmost care to its patients. I could nominate at least 10 nurses that I've had for the DAISY Award, but there is one nurse who really stands out and deserves this accolade. Her name is Kathleen Gallagher, and she cared for me on the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. night shift.
Kathleen provided me with exceptional care, as all the nurses do at Hackensack, but she took many steps to go above and beyond. I suffer from a lot of anxiety because I get life-threatening kidney infections that can lead to sepsis, which I've had in the past. Kathleen, through her calm voice, reassuring spirit, patience, and her million-dollar smile, mitigated my anxiety night after night. She would reassure me that I was in the best hospital getting the best care and that the IV antibiotics were going to get rid of the nasty bacteria that was plaguing my body and mind. As she spoke in her soothing voice, I would feel my anxiety lessen.
I was rushed to the hospital with my oxygen level at 47 and sadly discovered that I stopped breathing in my sleep. This enormous breathing machine and everything that encompassed this new diagnosis was quite overwhelming. Every night she made an effort to learn from Respiratory how to put the breathing machine on me so when things happened during the night, I didn't have to wait for Respiratory to come. Kathleen knew how to put on the BiPAP machine, so I was comfortable, could go to sleep, and didn't have to wait. She took those extra steps to learn, and I was grateful.
Due to my weight, it is very difficult to do simple things such as sit up, reach over, and grab the blankets to put them on myself. She knew this, but she never spoke about it. When she'd put me to bed, she'd make sure the BiPAP machine mask was on properly. She'd cover me with the blankets. She would tell me to have a great sleep, and that she would check on me throughout the night, and within minutes I was in my dreams. She had to constantly measure my urine output, and every time she cleaned me up herself, never telling me to wait for a certified nursing assistant. There was no job that wasn't hers. I wasn't embarrassed. She never made me feel less than myself. In fact, she made me feel more than myself.
Her energy, her positive attitude, and her smile were contagious and infectious. She was diligent about making sure I got my insulin when I needed it and that my blood sugar was checked. She did a lot of things herself and did not wait for other people to do them. I saw how much she respected her coworkers and pitched in to help when necessary.
The best gift she gave me every night, when a patient tends to get into their head, miss their loved ones at home, and get anxious, was her compassion, empathy, and optimistic attitude that I would get better and be home soon with my son and husband. She would purposely get me talking about my son because she knew how much joy I had in motherhood. She was good at providing positive distractions so my focus was on happy things. One night I was getting a low blood sugar, and she acted very quickly. She tested my blood sugar, knew the rule of 15, and took care of me. I was getting some of the best sleep of my life because I knew she was checking on me and the machine.
She truly cared so much about me as a patient and, no doubt, her other patients. Kathleen is a special nurse who is super smart and super dedicated to being the best nurse possible.
Kathleen provided me with exceptional care, as all the nurses do at Hackensack, but she took many steps to go above and beyond. I suffer from a lot of anxiety because I get life-threatening kidney infections that can lead to sepsis, which I've had in the past. Kathleen, through her calm voice, reassuring spirit, patience, and her million-dollar smile, mitigated my anxiety night after night. She would reassure me that I was in the best hospital getting the best care and that the IV antibiotics were going to get rid of the nasty bacteria that was plaguing my body and mind. As she spoke in her soothing voice, I would feel my anxiety lessen.
I was rushed to the hospital with my oxygen level at 47 and sadly discovered that I stopped breathing in my sleep. This enormous breathing machine and everything that encompassed this new diagnosis was quite overwhelming. Every night she made an effort to learn from Respiratory how to put the breathing machine on me so when things happened during the night, I didn't have to wait for Respiratory to come. Kathleen knew how to put on the BiPAP machine, so I was comfortable, could go to sleep, and didn't have to wait. She took those extra steps to learn, and I was grateful.
Due to my weight, it is very difficult to do simple things such as sit up, reach over, and grab the blankets to put them on myself. She knew this, but she never spoke about it. When she'd put me to bed, she'd make sure the BiPAP machine mask was on properly. She'd cover me with the blankets. She would tell me to have a great sleep, and that she would check on me throughout the night, and within minutes I was in my dreams. She had to constantly measure my urine output, and every time she cleaned me up herself, never telling me to wait for a certified nursing assistant. There was no job that wasn't hers. I wasn't embarrassed. She never made me feel less than myself. In fact, she made me feel more than myself.
Her energy, her positive attitude, and her smile were contagious and infectious. She was diligent about making sure I got my insulin when I needed it and that my blood sugar was checked. She did a lot of things herself and did not wait for other people to do them. I saw how much she respected her coworkers and pitched in to help when necessary.
The best gift she gave me every night, when a patient tends to get into their head, miss their loved ones at home, and get anxious, was her compassion, empathy, and optimistic attitude that I would get better and be home soon with my son and husband. She would purposely get me talking about my son because she knew how much joy I had in motherhood. She was good at providing positive distractions so my focus was on happy things. One night I was getting a low blood sugar, and she acted very quickly. She tested my blood sugar, knew the rule of 15, and took care of me. I was getting some of the best sleep of my life because I knew she was checking on me and the machine.
She truly cared so much about me as a patient and, no doubt, her other patients. Kathleen is a special nurse who is super smart and super dedicated to being the best nurse possible.
Thank you, Kathleen, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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