I have had the pleasure of working alongside Dena Tocci for the past 2 years as an employee with Atlantic Visiting Nurse/Atlantic Hospice. Dena excels not only in her clinical skills and ability to evaluate patients to determine appropriateness for hospice care, but she demonstrates a commitment to her patients and their families and shows respect to her co-workers every day. As a single mother of three children and currently a student working toward her APN degree, Dena has a lot on her plate, yet she shows tenacity and strength through all of life's ups and downs and provides optimal support to her patients with the most positive outlook. She puts the needs of her patients and their families above all else and works diligently to ensure that each and everyone is supported appropriately.
Dena's clinical responsibility is to assess patients and determine whether they meet the strict Medicare requirements for general inpatient hospice care or if they are more suited to home hospice either in their private home or in a facility. She examines and evaluates the labs and clinical information available and works with the individual families to set up the best plan. Once a plan is determined, Dena works with the medical staff in-house or the home support to make sure everything is prepared for the patient's comfort.
Most recently I have seen Dena advocate for a COVID positive patient who also is a stage 4 cancer patient. This patient is in the ICU setting at MMC but he is young and has young children at home and his only desire is to return home so that he can get his affairs in order and prepare for his death. Dena was troubled to learn that this patient had no palliative consult ordered and therefore had no plan for discharge in the works. This patient would require planning and intervention in order to ensure that appropriate home medication orders were in place as well as oxygen support. Dena took it upon herself to reach out to the palliative care team in order to secure a palliative consult so that plans for discharge could be initiated. At this time discharge planning is ongoing, however, Dena continues to check on this patient's status in order to provide him the best opportunity to see that his wish is granted.
Dena's role as hospice liaison allows her to collaborate daily with the Simon 3 nursing and support staff, the hospice staff at Atlantic Visit Nurse, the in-house hospice nurse (myself), the palliative care team and social worker, case managers, and social workers throughout the facility as well as multiple doctors and residents in the Atlantic System. Not only is she well-liked and respected by all, but she also brings a warmth and a smile wherever she travels throughout the building and is an exuberant presence in all of her interactions. Dena also helps prepare families at home for the patient's home hospice admission and in doing so, she collaborates with the medical DME company and also has a great report with the staff of At Home Medical as well.
In my opinion, Dena is truly a DAISY Nurse.