Kendell was a godsend to us when we had to admit my mother-in-law into WakeMed at the age of 83 and suffering, not only from a compression fracture in her back but also dementia. While I love my mother-in-law to death, she could, at times, be very abrasive and rude-which was apparently the case when she arrived in the ward. Kendell looked past this demeanor and worked very patiently with her to get her comfortable and calm her fears.
When we arrived, we worked with Kendell, reassuring her that we knew the personality traits that my mother-in-law could show, and very quickly Kendell adapted her approach and became the nurse that my mother-in-law always asked for, even after her shift and her days off. I was amazed when having brief conversations with Kendell while she was attending to my mother-in-law, that she also taught courses/classes in nursing and I even saw first-hand how she professionally, yet personally worked with new staff members. She not only provided comfort to my mother-in-law, but she took the time to keep us informed of changes in medication, as well as my mother-in-law's condition. She took the time to explain medical terminology (breaking it down in layman's terms) as well as just spoke with us directly about dementia and what we might expect to see.
I saw in Kendell a true vision of what a nurse should be- compassionate, understanding, helpful, and professional. Thank you, Kendell, for all that you do, not just for us, but for all your patients and their families.

Note: This is Kendell's 2nd DAISY Award!