Transitional Care Unit at Freeman Health System
December 2024
Transitional Care Unit
at Freeman Health System
TCU
Freeman Health System
Joplin
,
MO
United States
Jess Simmons, RN
Morgan Brewer, RN
Janette Stewart, RN
Danielle Weaver, RN
Morgan Brewer, RN
Janette Stewart, RN
Danielle Weaver, RN
This team of four from TCU received two separate nominations describing the compassion and spirit of a DAISY Team. The nominations came from family members who believe these four individuals went above and beyond the call of duty in caring for their loved ones.
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My dad had been in the hospital for 2 weeks and had not been outside. He had been hooked up to many machines during his stay. As he improved and the day he came off oxygen and his machines, he looked out the window at the gorgeous, sunny day and said, "That sun looks so nice." When Morgan and Danielle came back and dad was in the bathroom, I asked them, "I know this isn't part of the norm, but is there any way I could take my dad outside even if just for a little bit?" They thought for a minute and said, yes, if we don't get very busy we will come back and get your dad and we can go downstairs to the courtyard. I didn't say anything to Dad because I didn't want to get his hopes up if it didn't happen. A little while later, they came in with a wheelchair for my dad and surprised him that we were all going to go outside. It made my dad's whole day to have the sun shine down on his face and feel the nice breeze. It meant everything to him, and he was so happy. I can't thank them enough for their kindness that day. I feel this was above and beyond the normal care that was given, and we had great care by everyone. But this was special to us. Thank you so much!!!
***
My wife of 65 years has been in and out of hospitals and rehab centers for the last year. With Congestive Heart Failure and stage IV Chronic Kidney Disease, she is a complex case to manage medically. In addition, she recently suffered through several hip surgeries that left her with Osteomyelitis and required the removal of all the hardware in her left hip and femur. She is now on suppressive antibiotic treatments (Clindamycin and Doxycycline). What landed us here this time was severe dehydration and a recurrent UTI that had become drug resistant. While every single nurse and nursing assistant has been wonderful, there were two exceptional nurses who helped us navigate this challenging hospital stay: Janette and Jess. It is becoming clear that the confluence of medical issues that my wife is managing may be end stage. Janette delivered this news with compassion and empathy and shared several materials to help us understand where we were in the process. This was a very rough day, and we continued medical treatment beyond this day, but Janette's compassionate care for my wife, and her thoughtful care toward my feelings during this discussion were pretty remarkable. We only had Janette for 2 days, but she left a lasting impression and was a credit to her profession and the entire Freeman medical community.
Jess is the other nurse who really stood out. He was kind and compassionate as well, but most of his empathy and tenderness were reserved for my wife. He tended to her needs, assessed her physical condition and state of mind throughout his shifts, and was always most concerned about her comfort and care above all else. We also only had Jess for a few days, but he was always most concerned about my wife's well-being. My family and I nominate Janette and Jess for the DAISY Award because of our experience with their nursing skills, thoughtfulness, judgment about how and when to have these discussions, and their devotion to the exceptional care of my wife in this last hospital visit.
***
My dad had been in the hospital for 2 weeks and had not been outside. He had been hooked up to many machines during his stay. As he improved and the day he came off oxygen and his machines, he looked out the window at the gorgeous, sunny day and said, "That sun looks so nice." When Morgan and Danielle came back and dad was in the bathroom, I asked them, "I know this isn't part of the norm, but is there any way I could take my dad outside even if just for a little bit?" They thought for a minute and said, yes, if we don't get very busy we will come back and get your dad and we can go downstairs to the courtyard. I didn't say anything to Dad because I didn't want to get his hopes up if it didn't happen. A little while later, they came in with a wheelchair for my dad and surprised him that we were all going to go outside. It made my dad's whole day to have the sun shine down on his face and feel the nice breeze. It meant everything to him, and he was so happy. I can't thank them enough for their kindness that day. I feel this was above and beyond the normal care that was given, and we had great care by everyone. But this was special to us. Thank you so much!!!
***
My wife of 65 years has been in and out of hospitals and rehab centers for the last year. With Congestive Heart Failure and stage IV Chronic Kidney Disease, she is a complex case to manage medically. In addition, she recently suffered through several hip surgeries that left her with Osteomyelitis and required the removal of all the hardware in her left hip and femur. She is now on suppressive antibiotic treatments (Clindamycin and Doxycycline). What landed us here this time was severe dehydration and a recurrent UTI that had become drug resistant. While every single nurse and nursing assistant has been wonderful, there were two exceptional nurses who helped us navigate this challenging hospital stay: Janette and Jess. It is becoming clear that the confluence of medical issues that my wife is managing may be end stage. Janette delivered this news with compassion and empathy and shared several materials to help us understand where we were in the process. This was a very rough day, and we continued medical treatment beyond this day, but Janette's compassionate care for my wife, and her thoughtful care toward my feelings during this discussion were pretty remarkable. We only had Janette for 2 days, but she left a lasting impression and was a credit to her profession and the entire Freeman medical community.
Jess is the other nurse who really stood out. He was kind and compassionate as well, but most of his empathy and tenderness were reserved for my wife. He tended to her needs, assessed her physical condition and state of mind throughout his shifts, and was always most concerned about her comfort and care above all else. We also only had Jess for a few days, but he was always most concerned about my wife's well-being. My family and I nominate Janette and Jess for the DAISY Award because of our experience with their nursing skills, thoughtfulness, judgment about how and when to have these discussions, and their devotion to the exceptional care of my wife in this last hospital visit.