My father urgently and unexpectedly suffered a cardiac arrest while traveling from his hometown in Tempe, Arizona to Wells, Maine via Amtrak. He was in Detroit for a scheduled stop when he collapsed. He ended up in MICU at Henry Ford Hospital. Every nurse we encountered went above and beyond the call of duty, however, one in particular helped me and my brother immensely, Dawn Carson.
Dawn showed outstanding professionalism, compassion, sympathy and empathy. She cared for our father as if he were one of her family members. But, more than that, she cared for us. She met our needs and shared her exemplary nursing knowledge and education by explaining in great detail the statistics of Dad's vital signs and became our advocate between family and doctors when the answers were unclear. Her ability to be human during this difficult time and not just articulate medical jargon was astounding. She helped us gather information we needed whether it be asking for a doctor or translating their reports during rounds. She tended to our hurting hearts as we realized my Dad's condition was deteriorating and the end of his life was near and we had to make a decision. She became a part of our family in the MICU. She was there for our family throughout this tragic ordeal and was there for us in the end. We were relieved and thankful that Dawn was the one administering the medication to my Dad to keep him comfortable until his passing.
Dawn is a humble, compassionate human being and we are truly grateful for her love and support.