Samantha is a DAISY Nurse not only because of her consistent excellence in service but also for going above and beyond, in the strangest of situations.
As an example, one day Samantha was the Resource Nurse, helping out by picking medications from the pharmacy. While walking down to the elevators, she noticed a younger patient ambulating towards the elevators using a walker. From the opposite side, an elderly lady was making her way over to the elevators with her son. When the patient got closer to the elevator, the elevator arrived. As the door opened, the elderly lady and her son made their way, slowly, towards the elevator. The patient was aggressively walking towards the open doors as well. The patient was blocked by the elderly lady, so attempted to push her out of the way with her walker. The patient then lifted up her walker to hit the elderly lady as she stood frozen in fear. Samantha jumped in the way without thinking to protect the elderly lady. Samantha got hit with the walker but was able to block and distract the patient long enough for the elderly lady and her son to get on the elevator and for the elevator doors to close. Samantha was able to deescalate the situation, redirect the patient, and contact security - and even went down to the lobby to check on the safety of the elderly visitor, who she found to be clearly distraught. Samantha again offered of herself, providing comfort for the elderly visitor, checking on her safety, and offering her an escort to her car. Samantha ignored her own injury and stayed focused on this visitor. Once the visitor was safely in her car, she went to the patient's unit, to check the status of that patient and ensure that the incident was communicated.
Nurses do kind deeds every day for their patients and families, and many go unnoticed. Samantha knowingly put herself in harm's way to protect a stranger, without any thought. This truly an example of extraordinary care for someone who was not charged with being in her care.