As a former employee of HMH for thirteen years, this patient has been treated at the Methodist Hospital on multiple occasions. During the patient's most recent hospitalization she was admitted into the MICU on two separate occasions. It goes without saying the care provided in MICU is top notch. However, during the patient's second stay in the MICU one of the nurses stood out above the rest, Everett Stafford.
Everett was incredibly attentive, knowledgeable and proactive with the care he provided. Our mother was unresponsive, and I was at her bedside speaking to her in an attempt to wake her. He walked in, turned the lights on, and began to move her arms around as he introduced himself. Within a few minutes of him talking to her, she opened her eyes for the first time in days! During his shift with her, he continued to talk to her frequently and I could tell she enjoyed his outgoing personality. I left for a few hours and returned to find her all cleaned up and resting comfortably. His professionalism coupled with his light-hearted demeanor seemed to be exactly what out mom needed.
Aside from the excellent care, he provided our mom, Everett took the time to make sure that we were comfortable. He was always one step ahead of us, so we never had to go to him to ask him questions. He provided us with status updates and next course of action on a regular basis. In addition, he would frequently check in with us to make sure we didn't have any questions and that we were okay with our accommodations. His hospitality was what we would expect from a four-star hotel, not a hospital room. One example is when he noticed my young children struggling to share the same the same table for their electronics, a few minutes later he wheeled in an extra table.
When we learned our mother would be transferred out of the MICU, it was bittersweet; while we were happy with her progression we knew we'd miss the care that he provided her. Nowadays it is rare that we meet a person that is so passionate about their job. However, it is obvious that Everett loves his job! His medical experience, as well as his upbeat and friendly attitude, is infectious, and we are so grateful for the time he spent with our mother and family. He is well deserving of The DAISY Award!