When the DAISY Award was first announced, Shannon White's name came up time and time again as the nurse most deserving in the ICU. The team as a whole feels she exemplifies what The DAISY Award represents. Shannon has only been in the ICU for a few years, but she has quickly become a fan favorite. She has gained this admiration and respect not because she is the most experienced nurse in the intensive care unit, but rather by the way she treats her peers, the multidisciplinary team and, most importantly, how she cares for her patients and their loved ones.
What makes her so special, aside from her contagious smile and Bambi eyelashes, is in the way she makes everyone around her feel like they are the most important person in the room. She is one of those people who you instantly like and trust the minute you meet them. I do not think I have ever heard her complain about her assignment or the work she needs to accomplish. She always speaks well of her co-workers and will only bring concerns to leadership when she feels there is a safety issue.
If you give her the most difficult, rude, foul-mouthed patient in the world by the time her 12-hour shift is over she will know everything about her patient and try to give them tips on how to make small steps to improve their life. She has that natural ability to connect with patients in a supportive and non-judgmental way. When she holds her patient's hand and looks them in the eyes while saying "we got this" they believe her. You can literally feel the anxiety and worry leave the room when Shannon is the nurse.
The J family will attest to how wonderful she is in her role as an ICU nurse. Mr. J was with us for over a month and the entire team was invested in seeing him get better and leave the ICU. Every day in rounds you could see the anguish and heartache his wife wore on her sleeve. One day in particular Mrs. J asked if she could meet with me, as she did not have a good interaction with a few nurses. I had to think long and hard about what nurses I felt could make her feel more supported. Shannon was one of the nurses who came to mind and she was assigned the case. Over the next month, the patient continued on his downward spiral and it was clear that the ICU was not going to win this battle. On her day off Shannon made the nurses who took care of Mr. J and his wife T-shirts and the logo read TEAM J. This gesture was exactly what Mrs. J needed and she was a proud member of the team.
Two weeks ago, Shannon had a confused, delirious patient who was constantly trying to get out of bed and had to be re-directed every 5 seconds. Nurses were calling this the one and done assignment as it was mentally exhausting doing this dance for a 12-hour shift. Shannon was trying to figure out why this patient wanted to get out of bed so desperately, which was not an easy feat due to his confusion. After a few hours, she realized he was a heavy smoker and just wanted a cigarette. Shannon created a box of cigarettes using a tissue box and straws and fashioned an ashtray out of an empty suture removal kit. It was amazing how well this calmed the patient. He was drawing on those cigarettes and blowing out smoke and he truly felt he was smoking. After a few hours, he realized that the cigarettes were not staying lit, as he could not see the fire when he took a drag. Shannon solved this problem by rolling up red construction paper and placing them in the tip of the cigarette. The patient was then lighting one cigarette off of another and was content to stay in bed for the entire shift.
Another example of Shannon's special character is in her ability to put herself in someone else's shoes. As she was helping a co-worker turn a patient who had been made comfort measures earlier in the day, she realized he had nothing to look at. The patient had a blank stare and could only look up to the ceiling. Skip to the next day and Shannon has made the patient a mobile to hang from the lift system in his room. This patient has a beautiful hanging mobile comprised of the moon and stars to look at in his final days, thanks to Shannon.
There are too many examples to share of how Shannon White is an exceptional person and nurse. She is a true DAISY Nurse.