We had a very difficult patient in our behavioral health unit who needed treatment beyond the scope of clinical care the unit could absorb. Spencer was notified that he was going to be receiving this patient in ICU and was unsure of her condition, mentation, etc., as we were all a little uncertain. Spencer never wavered, asked questions, gained clarity and most importantly, maintained a level of support and calmness with the patient and fellow staff. This patient was difficult on her best day and had become combative and destructive with many staff members, but Spencer treated her arrival like he would any other patient; with empathy and kindness. Beyond what he provided his patient, he also provided the team of transfer staff, RT staff, and ancillary staff, a confident even-tempered and humble sounding board.
Usually, when we submit DAISY nominations, we do so for extraordinary patient care. While I believe Spencer provided extraordinary nursing care to this patient, he also provided extraordinary nursing care to his fellow nurses and providers. We cannot function autonomously. Even more so, we thrive at West Valley when we are part of a team that moves mountains to provide care for our patients, healing them physically while preserving their dignity. Without Spencer's steadfast character, his understanding of our patient's condition and his approach to his role on the team, it would have been much more difficult than the already pressing situation. Spencer not only helped in healing a patient that day, but he provided his team a backbone to lift with, a shoulder to rest upon and a smile to remind us all of the humanity we nurses provide every day. Spencer was a nurse for all of us that day and I thank him so much for who he is and what he adds to our West Valley community.