When we take an oath to be a nurse, we vow to hold ourselves to the Hippocratic oath, to do no harm, and to consider the entire well-being of the patient. When you chose a career in an inpatient setting, although you know that death is a real possibility in any of your patients, it isn't one of those things you come to expect.

I am nominating Kayleigh for this DAISY today because she was assigned a comfort care patient, unknownst to her. Nurses on this unit do not select their own admissions or make their own assignments. Kayleigh embraced my family, entering the room with a warm and comforting presence, making sure all our needs were met, offering the simple comforts like blankets, pillows, and more despite the fact that I know Kayleigh was hurting on the inside to be pushed beyond her comfort zone caring for a patient with an inevitable death despite knowing she wanted to do everything in her power to change the circumstances and save the patient, our loved one. Kayleigh brought drinks and coffee, socks, pillows, blankets, and more to make sure the family had all needs met, but most importantly, hour after hour, she brought medication to keep our dying relative comfortable and at peace. She held hands, prayed with us, and cared for our entire family with dignity and grace.

Although this is the Riverside way and something we hope for all of our team members, I got to witness it firsthand, and for that, I am truly grateful for our nurse who put her own feelings and fears aside to deliver truly holistic patient-centered care down to his very last breath. Kayleigh is a DAISY Nurse today and every day!