Shenell Davis, BSN

It has taken me almost 3 weeks to write up this nomination, as I have been processing immense grief over the loss of my husband. But even with everything that’s going on, I still feel it’s important that I spend the time to write this. My husband, M, was in the hospital for a full month, and while he was cared for by many nurses who showed exceptional clinical skill, one nurse, Shenell, stands out. Clinically, she did her thing: assessing, medicating, re-assessing, turning, and repositioning. It sounds so simple, but it’s not.

By the time I met Shenell, we all knew my husband was in his final days. Nothing was going to change the outcome; we knew his death was coming. But it takes a special nurse like Shenell to create the environment for a dignified death. She assessed him frequently, advocated for increases in his Morphine drip, and was on top of the administration of medications to lessen that awful “death rattle” that I was hoping wouldn’t happen, as the doctors warned, but started anyway. It was so unsettling, and Shenell was beyond compassionate. She administered the appropriate medications in a timely manner, as any good nurse would, but she also spoke with me. She lent an ear, was interested in what I had to say, reminded me to eat and drink, and brought me drinks from the cafeteria when she saw I wasn’t. She found another nurse to sit with my husband so he wouldn’t be alone when she walked me to the chapel, so I could have just a few moments to make sure I was spiritually sustained.

If anyone embodies the traits of a DAISY Award winner, it’s Shenell, because above all, she understands what many nurses do not, and that it is the importance of just being present. Thank you to Shenell for being my husband’s advocate, for providing care above and beyond your job description, and for being a compassionate listener. I will be forever grateful.