Nancy is the type of nurse that epitomizes the ideals of her profession. A "day in the life" of a nurse in clinic is hectic. People are pulled in many directions, and clinics are extremely busy. There is a tendency that we all need to resist in going through the motions, where each patient can sometimes seem like just one more patient. Nancy's attitude and Nancy's actions are something that all of us should strive to emulate. She gives each patient the attention they deserve, treating each one as an individual human being. She has an uncanny ability to read patients. Some are self-assured, others anxious, some downright frightened. Nancy seems to know the right time to inject a smile, maybe a reassuring word, a hand to hold. She puts patients at ease in a clinic where we are dealing with sensitive topics.
It's quite common for patients to remember Nancy, and they frequently go out of their way to comment on her exemplary care. "You know," I've heard patients say on many occasions; "she is really something special." Patients are eager to see her again at their follow-up visit, a rarity nowadays where many of us are nameless to those for whom we provide care. Likewise, Nancy remembers patients even after intervals of years, further testimony to the fact that she takes her job very seriously and lives "in the moment" with her patients while they are receiving care.
When Nancy is with me in my clinic, I know things will go smoothly. She brings out the best in everyone who works with her. She truly cares, and she is one of the most empathic caregivers I know. She is truly a deserving recipient of the DAISY Award.