Rebecca works in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) on Founders 9. She takes patient/family centered care to a whole new level. Rebecca will embrace a primary patient and follow them through their entire stay on our unit, ensuring their plan of care is followed and individualized to meet not only their medical needs, but also their emotional and spiritual needs as well. Her nursing care is approached in a holistic manner, incorporating the entire mind, body, and spirit.
One recent example of Rebecca's extraordinary patient-centered care that made a difference for both the patient and family on many levels involved a young female lung transplant patient (HM) that had an extended stay on our unit. The patient was eventually being evaluated for a second transplant but not after multiple setbacks and infections, including a code. The patient's parents lived far away but were staying at Penn's transplant house while she was in the hospital. Rebecca took care of HM on several occasions and signed up as one of her primary nurses. As time went on, Rebecca would have spa time with this young patient and spend the extra time not only to bathe her, but to also polish her nails, do her hair, and make her feel special. HM always looked forward to when Rebecca was working. When HM would feel anxious, Rebecca was able to help her calm down with alternative therapies whether it be lavender scent, or just relaxation therapies. It also made her parents feel good. I took notice the nights Rebecca was her nurse, her parents, who normally were at her bedside at all times, would take necessary breaks and even take a night off to get some sleep at the transplant house. That in itself is a complement to any nurse. It's a sign of a trusting relationship that the patient's loved ones can leave them in your care for the night. I remember getting an email from Rebecca rallying the staff to sign up to be HM's primary nurse. Rebecca sent it out to the entire unit to solicit help with HM's primary nursing care on her days off. She wanted to be sure her primary patient had an adequate number of consistent nurses to care for her.
I am sad to say that HM passed away. It was a sad day on the unit and it has affected many nurses, but I know that it has deeply saddened Rebecca. I can only be thankful that HM's life was made brighter by Rebecca over the last few months. Her parents will forever be grateful for this and for all of the care she provided for her.
I cannot think of a better candidate for The DAISY Award than Rebecca. Rebecca assigns herself to patients, immersing herself into their world with immense compassion while meeting the patient where they are in their journey. As Val Saintsburg states, "Nurses dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even a prescription." For these reasons, and so much more, it is my honor to nominate Rebecca Dorne for The DAISY Award.