I cannot count how many times Kathleen has gone above and beyond in her nursing career, partly because I haven’t known her for long, but in the short time that I have known her it has been innumerable. Let me share a story with you as an example.

One day a pregnant mother gave birth to a baby boy and then something happened and she was transferred to another unit. On the second day this patient was in the new unit, Kathleen found out about the rough night that she had and started contacting the correct people so that this patient could see and hold her new little boy. Kathleen knew that it is important to treat the whole person. No one comes in to deliver a baby and expects to end up separated. She went above and beyond so that this patient could hold her baby and be able to start a bond with her child. She knew that the patient being able to hold her child could help this patient heal. Maybe not physically heal, but emotionally heal and help encourage this patient to have something to cherish while she is fighting for her life. She also spent time talking to the husband, making sure he was doing okay. He was split between being with his son and wanting to be with his wife during this scary time. By the end of the day, both the patient (mom) and dad were in great spirits. In contrast to the start of the shift when both were so anxious and the patient (mother) was down because she had not really gotten any time to see or hold her son. I truly believe that Kathleen made a huge difference in this patient’s life.

What might not seem appropriate for some nurses (as in, the patient is a patient, and is very seriously sick and our goal most nurses think needs to be to get her better so she can go and see her son), Kathleen took a different stand. She contacted the right people and pushed other staff members to realize that this is a new first time mom and all of the Team should work together so that this mother could spend time (see and hold) her new son even though she was really sick. Kathleen made us see that this patient is first a mother and second a patient. This is one of the many times that Kathleen has challenged co-workers to look beyond what is happening and see the whole person and the whole family. She truly knows that you have to treat the whole person. That is why I believe Kathleen Kennybrook exemplifies a DAISY Nurse.