Marc Thomas
May 2014
Marc
Thomas
,
RN
Emergency Department
Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center
Oregon City
,
OR
United States
This DAISY Award nomination is long overdue for a nurse who is consistently kind, compassionate and skilled every day. The number of positive comment cards and "kudos" written by patients and family members about Marc Thomas is too high to count. But there is one event that stands out above and beyond all of the comments Marc has received in his career:
Several months ago, the ED received an ambulance report about an incoming patient actively seizing coming in code 3. Marc got the trauma bay ready and assembled his team. Receiving a code 3 patient is already difficult and stressful enough. It's another thing entirely when the patient rolls in and you realize it is one of your own Willy Falls staff members, who are like family to us and we all feel an extra amount of pressure to get the best possible outcome. When the patient arrived, he was postictal and very combative. As soon as the patient saw Marc and heard his voice, he calmed right down. Marc never left the patient's bedside and literally talked him through his crisis, calmly reassured him, held his hand, and told him he was going to be okay. Marc's presence was the only thing that seemed to get through to the patient to help him stay calm. Marc refused to take a break in order to continue caring for and staying with this patient until he was stabilized and transferred to PPMC, where he also went to visit him several times. After the patient's discharge, Marc took our friend to several follow up appointments, and continues to check on him.
I know that if our coworker/patient could nominate Marc for the DAISY Award, he would. As I was writing my initial notes for this nomination today, I couldn't help but wonder how that patient is doing. As unbelievable as it sounds, I ran into this patient in the hall about an hour later as I was walking to the charge nurse summit meeting. He said hello to me and I could not believe he was standing there. I asked how he was doing and he said great. I asked if he'd like to come down to the ED and say hello to Marc. He got a little emotional and said, "I would love to but I'm just not ready. That guy saved my life."
As a charge nurse I round on our ED patients. Marc's patients tell me that he is "awesome", and a very caring person.
Marc deserves the DAISY Award not only for the care he gave our Willy Falls family member, but for the hard work and outstanding care he delivers to every patient every day. He is one of the kindest, most compassionate nurses I know, and I am proud to have him as part of our ED team.
Several months ago, the ED received an ambulance report about an incoming patient actively seizing coming in code 3. Marc got the trauma bay ready and assembled his team. Receiving a code 3 patient is already difficult and stressful enough. It's another thing entirely when the patient rolls in and you realize it is one of your own Willy Falls staff members, who are like family to us and we all feel an extra amount of pressure to get the best possible outcome. When the patient arrived, he was postictal and very combative. As soon as the patient saw Marc and heard his voice, he calmed right down. Marc never left the patient's bedside and literally talked him through his crisis, calmly reassured him, held his hand, and told him he was going to be okay. Marc's presence was the only thing that seemed to get through to the patient to help him stay calm. Marc refused to take a break in order to continue caring for and staying with this patient until he was stabilized and transferred to PPMC, where he also went to visit him several times. After the patient's discharge, Marc took our friend to several follow up appointments, and continues to check on him.
I know that if our coworker/patient could nominate Marc for the DAISY Award, he would. As I was writing my initial notes for this nomination today, I couldn't help but wonder how that patient is doing. As unbelievable as it sounds, I ran into this patient in the hall about an hour later as I was walking to the charge nurse summit meeting. He said hello to me and I could not believe he was standing there. I asked how he was doing and he said great. I asked if he'd like to come down to the ED and say hello to Marc. He got a little emotional and said, "I would love to but I'm just not ready. That guy saved my life."
As a charge nurse I round on our ED patients. Marc's patients tell me that he is "awesome", and a very caring person.
Marc deserves the DAISY Award not only for the care he gave our Willy Falls family member, but for the hard work and outstanding care he delivers to every patient every day. He is one of the kindest, most compassionate nurses I know, and I am proud to have him as part of our ED team.