Rachel Grycan, BSN, RN, CCRN

Rachel exemplifies what is to be a DAISY Nurse. She not only showed an infinite amount of care and compassion for our son H but for my husband and me as well. The day we met Rachel will forever be remembered as one of the worst days of our lives. The day consisted of a continuous and what felt like a never-ending flow of scary and overwhelming news and updates, but Rachel was a beacon of hope that H would be okay. Rachel was not only a compassionate caregiver, but also a fierce advocate for H. If she felt he needed something or a change in his plan of care, she was not afraid to speak up. Rachel was honest with us, but explained things in a way that helped to ease our worries. If we didn’t understand, she would take a step back, and re-explain again and again and again until we did. Rachel also rearranged her schedule to provide consistent care for H finding other nurses to take her charge shifts and orientees. Some nights she would stay far after her shift to make sure H was settled before she left. Even on days she couldn’t be H’s nurse, she always stopped by to check in and say hi, or give updates to the nurses caring for him, making sure they knew every detail of his tenuous health and plan of care. I truly can’t think of anyone more deserving of a DAISY Award. Writing this nomination and thinking about the compassionate care Rachel provided to H still brings tears to my eyes. She cared for H as if he was her own son, and for that, we are forever grateful.