I would like to nominate Rosemary Swanson of the VMC Geriatric/Medical Behavioral Health Unit for the DAISY Award. She exemplifies what a DAISY Nurse should be; strong and intelligent but able to integrate those qualities with compassion. She cares for people who are often at the lowest point in their lives; people that are sometimes extremely unhappy, angry, confused or even hallucinating. It's easy to treat those who treat you kindly with respect, kindness, and compassion; however, when one can treat someone who is absolutely scathing with the same respect, kindness, and compassion, they should definitely be a DAISY Award Honoree.
Rosemary is the patient's strongest advocate for their needs. She individualizes her care based on what is important to that patient. Many of the Behavioral Health's patients do not have family or close friends to be there for them in their time of need. Many times, Rosemary fills those gaps. I've observed her paint nails, rub feet/backs, hands, bring in nice smelling lotion and so many other little acts of kindness to people who otherwise may not have had someone provide that level of care.
Rosemary has the ability to build people up when they are broken. She looks at the whole picture when someone is behaving a certain way and finds the deficits that may be causing that behavior. She tries to fill those deficits. Rosemary has a whole lot of unconditional love and understanding in her heart, she not only shares this with the patients but also the nurses she trains. For instance, when I trained with Rosemary, she was never harsh, demeaning or impatient with my deep learning curve. Some may say, "Well, of course, she shouldn't be", but that is not always the reality in the field of nursing. I've learned much about patience, kindness, understanding, compassion and being a good person from Rosemary. She inspires me and others to be a better person. Rosemary deserves recognition for she encompasses the true spirit of nursing.