My mother is a current patient at Umass. I, her daughter, had the pleasure of meeting her nurse Nisha when I visited today. I was with my dad. My mom is very sick and is 82-years-old. My dad is 87-years-old. They have a long relationship with UMass and think very highly of the hospital. My dad had told me this nurse was good, and she was.
Nisha was everything a nurse should be. She was caring, compassionate, and a listener. She acknowledged our concerns and set out to find answers. She was kind and never made us feel like we were bothering her. She was a listener. She took her time answering our questions. She was knowledgeable about my mother's condition. She functioned properly as a patient advocate between my mother and her physicians, following up on her own concerns to the doctors.
Sometimes people need to feel they are being heard and validated. Nisha did both. I work on an inpatient floor at another hospital in Massachusetts. I have a good understanding of the demands placed upon the staff. I also know and work with many nurses in my role as a Unit Secretary on a cardiac floor. I can tell you without a doubt that Nisha is a beautiful example of the nursing profession. In a demanding job, she made us feel like my mother was her only patient and that we were the only family members she needed to speak with. My dad and I want to thank this young nurse for representing her profession so well and for taking such good care of my mom. I hope my mother improves every day and I hope that Nisha is assigned to be her nurse each day she is there. She was an absolute pleasure and deserving of the DAISY Award. Thank you so much, Nisha!