Melissa Barton
May 2025
Melissa
Barton
,
RN
D4 Acute Care
Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center
Lakeland
,
FL
United States
She knelt down beside my mother and talked to her in a low, calm voice and said words to her that only my mother and her could hear. She comforted my mother. She made her feel important.
My father was a patient for several weeks. Every day was a new challenge for him and for us. He had advanced dementia and was starting to become agitated and violent. He stopped eating and drinking. His nurse, Melissa, was always so kind while caring for him and always asked us if we needed anything. I remember one time she was giving him medication in his IV and he tried to hit her. Instead of becoming frustrated with him, she redirected him and was able to calm him down. Even though Melissa knew he didn’t understand what she was telling him she always talked to him about everything she was doing before she did it. She was so attentive to his needs and ours.
When the Doctor came in to break the bad news, she was there by our side. The Doctor talked to us about comfort measures and hospice care and Melissa was there. When Melissa saw that my mother was getting upset, she got a chair for her to sit in and moved up close to the bed so my mother could hold his hand. After the Doctor left, she stayed. She knelt down beside my mother and talked to her in a low, calm voice and said words to her that only my mother and her could hear. She comforted my mother. She made her feel important. After she spoke to my mother she came over to me and gave me a hug like she knew I needed it. She then said she had seen our personal pastor here the day prior and asked if she could contact him for us. We gave her our pastor’s information and she had him there within the hour to pray and to comfort us. Later that day, I walked into the hall for a break, and she saw me outside the door and came over and asked what I needed and gave me another hug.
She kept us informed in a caring way that only a nurse with a heart of gold can. She was with us during our darkest moments and never left us, even though I knew she had other patients, she made us feel as though my father and our family were the only people that needed her. I never told her this, but I, too, am a nurse. Retired. So I know what she was probably dealing with outside of our room, but she never showed it. Melissa has to be the kindest person we have ever encountered. No one deserves a DAISY Award more than her. While I would like to not add my name or my father’s name to this nomination, if she ever gets the chance to read this, she will know who it is. My father passed away peacefully, with dignity, and I can’t help but think she was a huge part of that. Your organization is absolutely blessed to have an angel on Earth, a nurse such as Melissa.
When the Doctor came in to break the bad news, she was there by our side. The Doctor talked to us about comfort measures and hospice care and Melissa was there. When Melissa saw that my mother was getting upset, she got a chair for her to sit in and moved up close to the bed so my mother could hold his hand. After the Doctor left, she stayed. She knelt down beside my mother and talked to her in a low, calm voice and said words to her that only my mother and her could hear. She comforted my mother. She made her feel important. After she spoke to my mother she came over to me and gave me a hug like she knew I needed it. She then said she had seen our personal pastor here the day prior and asked if she could contact him for us. We gave her our pastor’s information and she had him there within the hour to pray and to comfort us. Later that day, I walked into the hall for a break, and she saw me outside the door and came over and asked what I needed and gave me another hug.
She kept us informed in a caring way that only a nurse with a heart of gold can. She was with us during our darkest moments and never left us, even though I knew she had other patients, she made us feel as though my father and our family were the only people that needed her. I never told her this, but I, too, am a nurse. Retired. So I know what she was probably dealing with outside of our room, but she never showed it. Melissa has to be the kindest person we have ever encountered. No one deserves a DAISY Award more than her. While I would like to not add my name or my father’s name to this nomination, if she ever gets the chance to read this, she will know who it is. My father passed away peacefully, with dignity, and I can’t help but think she was a huge part of that. Your organization is absolutely blessed to have an angel on Earth, a nurse such as Melissa.