Kristen Haggenjos
October 2018
Kristen
Haggenjos
,
RN, BSN, CEN
Emergency Department
Northwestern Medicine Central Dupage Hospital
Winfield
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Kristen was orienting a new nurse in the department when they got a gentleman in cardiac arrest. The only family that showed up for him was his daughter, who mentioned prior to the code ending that her mother was admitted in the bed tower. Once the doctor called the time of death and notified the daughter, you could tell the look of terror on her face having to go upstairs to tell her mother that her husband died while she was in the hospital. Kristen contacted the wife's nurse on the floor and informed her what happened. Kristen offered to go upstairs and prepare the wife to come down to the ED so she could be with her husband one last time. Kristen essentially offered to take over as nurse to the wife as it would have been difficult for the floor to send extra staff. Kristen reassured the nurse on the floor that she would not leave the patient alone and would care for her if anything happened while she was in the ED saying goodbye to her husband. Kristen displayed not only what a DAISY Nurse exemplifies, but what relationship-based care is all about. Because Kristen offered her services and time to the wife, the family of this man were able to be together one last time.