Margaret Dangerfield
October 2021
Margaret
Dangerfield
,
RN
Hospital
Raleigh General Hospital
Beckley
,
WV
United States
They took care of his body, but they also took care of his soul.
Nursing by definition is a profession of caring for others. It can be physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding. There are also times when the passion of nurses runs so deep they overcome obstacles and work together to create an outcome that even they will not be able to predict what an impact it will make. Stephanie Hatcher, Margaret Dangerfield, and Eric Hatcher are those nurses. One evening, T called the Nursing Supervisor at Raleigh General Hospital and expressed that her brother, Mr. C’s, a patient at RGH had told his family that he really wanted to be baptized. She asked if it would be possible to get help to arrange for him to leave the hospital for this to take place. The night supervisor told her it was extremely busy that night and requested she call back in the morning.
The following morning, T called back and spoke to Stephanie Hatcher, Nursing Supervisor, and by 7:30P that evening Mr. C was being submerged in a Baptism and getting his last wish granted. This act of kindness and compassion took the hard work of several people to make happen. Stephanie requested help from her husband, Eric Hatcher, who is an RN in the ER, and another Nursing Supervisor, Margaret Dangerfield. All three worked as a team to finalize the details and helped to make this happen safely. Once approval was given by the Physicians and Administration, a safety plan was formed and put into place. They then confirmed a location with a local church that would be able to perform the baptism. All three set out to get this plan put into action after they had finished their shifts and on their own time.
The safety of the patient was paramount to all involved and every issue was taken into account and addressed. Everything from equipment, to oxygen, and transportation was planned out to perfection. Personal time was given by them without a second thought, even when facing the difficulties of visitation restrictions during the pandemic. However, when we have three extraordinary and determined nurses like these, they don’t let anything stop them. Mr. C was presented with a Bible and Baptism Certificate. They made sure every little detail was seen to. To quote Mr. C’s sister, T, “They took care of his body, but they also took care of his soul”. These three extraordinary nurses exemplify the meaning to be a DAISY and we congratulate them.
The following morning, T called back and spoke to Stephanie Hatcher, Nursing Supervisor, and by 7:30P that evening Mr. C was being submerged in a Baptism and getting his last wish granted. This act of kindness and compassion took the hard work of several people to make happen. Stephanie requested help from her husband, Eric Hatcher, who is an RN in the ER, and another Nursing Supervisor, Margaret Dangerfield. All three worked as a team to finalize the details and helped to make this happen safely. Once approval was given by the Physicians and Administration, a safety plan was formed and put into place. They then confirmed a location with a local church that would be able to perform the baptism. All three set out to get this plan put into action after they had finished their shifts and on their own time.
The safety of the patient was paramount to all involved and every issue was taken into account and addressed. Everything from equipment, to oxygen, and transportation was planned out to perfection. Personal time was given by them without a second thought, even when facing the difficulties of visitation restrictions during the pandemic. However, when we have three extraordinary and determined nurses like these, they don’t let anything stop them. Mr. C was presented with a Bible and Baptism Certificate. They made sure every little detail was seen to. To quote Mr. C’s sister, T, “They took care of his body, but they also took care of his soul”. These three extraordinary nurses exemplify the meaning to be a DAISY and we congratulate them.