Marie Auguste, RN is an extraordinary person. She is always ready to help her colleagues. She is always there when needed with a welcoming smile. During difficult moments, she is calm, respectful and professional. She is quick to respond when called, and does her best to simplify matters. She is encouraging and caring. When Marie is on duty, I look forward to working with her. Her mere presence makes difficult situations seem much better than it is. There is something about Marie that makes you feel at ease when she is around. Her patients and families feel less anxious when she is around because she is always on top of things. Her kind, gentle spirit makes all of us, (patients, families and her colleagues) feel comfortable, confident and relaxed. I remember a vented patient’s wife saying to Marie, “oh Marie you are here tonight, I can go home and rest knowing you are taking care of him. I know you will take good care of him”.

Incidentally, Marie washed the patient with the PCT. She then went onto the next room, which happened to be a Contact P room. While she was in there, the PCT, while making her rounds, shouted for her. Marie said by the tone of her voice she knew that something was very wrong. She stripped the gown off and rushed to the room, she saw the patient whom she had just given a good washing, was as white as a sheet. She told the PCT to call a code and bring the code cart. Marie rushed into the room and hit on the patient’s chest, and the patient gasped. Marie realized that the patient’s endotracheal connection had become dislodged. By the time the code team arrived, the patient was breathing again and the code was cancelled. Somehow Marie saved that man’s life so his wife could come back and meet him alive. Marie remained calm, assed the situation and did what she had to do.

One night when she was on duty, she happened to pass by a certain room. It was not her patient that night, but as she heard a machine going off, she stopped in to see what was happening. She found a patient with only one side of his chest rising. Marie shouted for the nurse, who happen to be a float nurse, at the nurse’s station and instructed the IS to page the PA stat. She stayed and assisted the nurse throughout the situation – getting supplies and lending support to both the nurse and the patient. An emergency chest tube insertion had to be done at the bedside. She saved the patient’s life that night.

Therefore, I nominate Ms. Marie Auguste for the DAISY Award as I think she deserves this meaningful recognition.