Thomas Conroy, BSN, RN

In the early morning, our son came through TAA with a traumatic brain injury. After spending a short period in the trauma bay, we were taken to the unit. The patient relations liaison escorted us to the waiting room upstairs, where our family was greeted by the nurse. He approached our entire family with such a compassionate, professional demeanor. This devastation seemed unfathomable for me as a mother. Walking into his medical room with so many monitors, alarms, and machines and several health care workers at once, I struggled to understand what was happening so quickly to my son. However, through all the chaos, he took the time to explain this process in ways that I could grasp even if it was for just one minute at a time. He treated my son with compassion and kindness. He did not render his care routinely; rather, he treated him and us individually. He did it humanely and carefully, with explanation and, most importantly, compassion. Holistically, he met us where we were right then, and thereafter with each interaction. He took extra care not to let medical procedures interrupt my quiet moments with my son and me. He went the extra mile to ensure our comfort, even if it meant he had to complete an extra task or take extra time to explain. He was a beacon of light in our darkness. He exemplifies the meaning of a DAISY Nurse. He tailored his care to elicit compassion, professionalism, and kindness throughout the entire day to not only his patient, my son, but my entire family. I implore you to consider him as a recipient of the DAISY Award, as he is most deserving. We will forever be grateful through this tragedy knowing that health care providers such as our nurse exist. Serving a greater purpose that we can put into words.