My brother C was in a car accident when he was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. Upon arrival at the ICU Trauma Unit, my brother received exceptional care from nearly every nurse and physician working that unit. However, one afternoon right before shift change, a pain pump was started with the plan to use the same new medication through an epidural that was scheduled to be placed the following day. However, each time that my brother would use the pump, his vitals would begin to lower.

Right as the staff was changing shifts, we began to notice that he was acting strangely. (Nurse Shelby Sipes had just come on duty for the night shift.) C had stopped communicating completely, and his vitals were becoming unstable. Nurse Sipes quickly jumped into action! When she approached the physician on duty he felt that it would be all right. She was never disrespectful or questioned the doctor’s decision to continue. However, she did begin to chart his vitals and responses. After not being able to push the pump for several hours, my brother awoke and said that he was in a lot of pain. He pushed the pump and his vitals tanked again. It became clear that his body for whatever reason could not tolerate the type of pain medication being used.

Nurse Sipes respectfully got permission from her supervisor to present her data to the physician. Once the data was presented the doctor agreed that this was not a good choice for my brother. He ordered a different medication to be given by the nurse as needed and removed the pain pump. Two weeks after his accident, my brother succumbed to his internal injuries. However, Nurse Sipes most likely saved his life the night of the pain pump incident. Thanks to her intuitiveness to monitor and document evidence of his decline, and then presenting it to her supervisor and the on-duty physician in a professional manner, we were given a few extra days with my brother. Two of which were spent with a clear mind and the ability to write down his wishes and his love for us, including signing a birthday card for his wife two hours before he passed away. There are no words to express what that time meant to our family.

Nurse Sipes's quick action will forever be appreciated. Therefore, our family nominated Nurse Shelby Sipes for the DAISY Award for going above and beyond, rallying for her patient when it would have been easier not to question what was ordered.