I have Crohn's Disease and had been previously admitted and in pain. Diana Harris introduced herself and her student R. She took her time to talk to me about being readmitted and tried very hard to understand what I thought went wrong with my last stay and reassured me that they would take great care of me this time around. She recognized that I was emotional and having a difficult time coping with the readmission, the anxiety, and my pain. She addressed every single question I had, even when I repeated some out of nervousness or to make sure I understood her explanation.
Diana also took the time to address my parents and my husband; she always asked if they needed anything and if they had any questions. My husband spoke up about how he works 12-hour shifts and always misses the doctors. Diana offered to take his phone number and have my doctor call him and answer any questions he had. She even took it a step further by calling the doctor, asking the questions, and came back to my husband with answers so my husband did not have to wait till the next day to get answers from the doctor.
Both days Diana was my nurse she was very attentive to my physical and emotional state. Even while she was teaching her student, I always felt like I was her first priority. She has a great sense of humor and could make me laugh through the pain and nausea.
My family brought a few items from home to comfort me during my stay. One item was a fleece blanket with dogs on it. I tend to be cold most of the time. Diana would always make sure my blanket was straightened out and that I was covered up well.
In reading your pamphlet, I believe Diana and her student show all the qualities of a DAISY Nurse. I would trust either to care for a member of my family. I would be able to go home and rest because I know they would be very well cared for. In each interaction, both were calm and focused on what I needed even in the face of my anxiety. Diana took the time to communicate to me as the patient and to my family everything that was going on and to answer any question any of us had. Both were comforting in their mannerism and in realizing how the little things matter-such as my blanket mentioned above.
Diana was attentive to my emotional needs as well as my physical needs. Both showed great compassion for what we were going through. Each encounter was genuine and created joy by making me laugh even though I was in pain or nauseated, or both. Diana proved she was a true patient advocate by calling the doctor to get answers for my husband and family, so they did not have to wait a full day for answers.
I was sad to learn she will not work for several days. I am hopeful I will be discharged before she returns. As a patient, to have a nurse like Diana and her student is priceless.