I was a patient just out of an Appendectomy emergency surgery. I was in excruciating pain and suffering from a ruptured appendix, and bowels that were asleep, leaving me with a basketball size stomach, I was in pain, I was in bad shape. In comes Oheneba Tuffour (aka Nurse Nana).
While I was there, Nurse Nana went the extra mile in caring for me. He was on time administering the medications prescribed to me by the doctors, and he even ignored my multiple requests for food or drink which could have been detrimental and unhealthy for my recovery as my bowels were not awake and functioning properly. Although I thank him for following those instructions, those were all things that were within his job scope, and most importantly, the things he was paid to do. However, it was the intangibles, the things that showed me that Nurse Nana was different, even special, and a true DAISY Nurse.
Nurse Nana is the epitome of a professional possessing such a genuine gift to care for others. On a nightly basis, Nurse Nana spoke to me inquiring: how my body felt and the level of pain I was experiencing; often encouraging me to not remove the tube out of my nose as I had done twice, explaining that the tube was helping to save my life; even coming in my room several times throughout his shift just to ask if I needed anything; always smiling; always displaying the confidence of a professional which was visible in his demeanor. This confidence assured me he knew what he was doing and that I was safe; responding to the call button when I activated it in a timely manner, which allowed me to be calmer because I knew that he would come as soon as he could, and the most special thing he did that brings me to tears even as I write this letter of nomination, is that he would come to my room, on his own, with genuine care and concern for "me" prior to leaving for the day to inform me of his pending departure and to see what I might need. The fact that he returned a second time to introduce me to his relief showed me that he was concerned, and personally cared about me and my medical issues. That made me feel special and cared about as a person and as a patient. And for these reasons, I am forever grateful for and appreciative to Nurse Nana and I want to thank him for being the ultimate professional to me and for truly caring about me as a person during a traumatic time in my life while I was hospitalized.
Oheneba Tuffour (aka Nurse Nana) personifies the "benchmark" of professionalism for nurses at his level of work. It would be a tragedy for his specialness, and hard work to go unrecognized because he has earned and is deserving of such honors.