Renee Alvira was the first person we met when my husband was admitted to the 9th floor. She got him settled in the room, completed all the intake information, even though her shift had already ended. She made us feel comfortable and secure before she left. Over the next few days, she took excellent care of my husband, attending to every detail to help him in the healing process. All the while, she was not only attending to his physical needs, she was listening to his concerns. You see, our 35th wedding anniversary was coming. It became evident that he would still be hospitalized for our special day. This was especially distressing for him and was weighing heavily on his mind. Our anniversary arrived. Renee greeted me when I arrived on the floor, cheerful as always. She carried out all her duties just like every other day. Just before noon, she came to the door with a doctor and a few other nurses and invited us to the conference room. We were expecting to come to a meeting with doctors. What we found was astonishing. Soft music was playing, lights were dim, a table for two was set with dinners waiting. Decorations had been lovingly placed - balloons, mason jars with mini white lights inside lit our table, hand-painted signs proclaimed "Happy 35th Anniversary," and a small cake waited for us.
After working her fifth 12-hour shift the day before, Renee went home, gathered materials, decorations and created a beautiful personalized wooden plaque with our names and wedding date. Next to the sign was a hand-crafted campfire. You see, our summer plans had included a trip to Tennessee to camp and visit our grown children, but our trip, unfortunately, was canceled when my husband became ill. Renee captured the essence of our canceled trip in the form of a wooden and paper decorative "campfire." There was not a dry eye on the 9th floor as we entered the conference room. Everyone could see how touched we were. Our son and daughter in law were amazed by the time and attention it took to put together the celebration. Renee could have shrugged off the importance of an anniversary, but she knows you can only have that day once. When it passes, it's gone. She made sure we didn't miss out on celebrating.
In the days since Renee has continued to attend to my husband. When we got a bad diagnosis, she was there for both of us. Her positive attitude is infectious and is helping us as we continue our life journey. Renee is an asset to her patients, her colleagues and her community. The 9th-floor Unit C of VAWNY is a great place to heal and recover thanks to Renee Alvira and her many colleagues. Renee embodies the spirit of true care in nursing.
Note: This is Renee's 2nd DAISY Award!