Michelle
Cooper
November 2011
Michelle
Cooper
,
RN
Hemotology Oncology Clinic
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston
,
SC
United States
I would like to nominate Michelle Cooper, RN for the DAISY Award. This story is not going to be long, just like the life of a precious little girl H. D.
This little girl was diagnosed with a rare form of soft-tissue cancer and passed away on September 30, 2011, but it is the story of Michelle Cooper’s caring that I would like to share. Michelle works in an ambulatory care setting, the pediatric hematology oncology clinic. The normal hours are 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Typically, patients who are very sick are transferred to the inpatient unit, 7CHB or the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). In “the clinic” nurses are assigned four patients each. What made this day extraordinary was the flexibility, teamwork, accommodation, and focus on the patient, all led by Michelle Cooper, RN.
The morning began with a phone call from H. D.’s parents. H. D. had an “allow natural death” order so she could pass away naturally without resuscitation as her cancer was terminal. On this morning, H. D. was so incredibly weak her parents were worried and unsure about even getting her into the car to bring her to the clinic. Her parents resolved they could get her into the car, but she would have to lie down for the trip; there was no way she could sit up. The next obstacle would be getting her up to the clinic on the 6th floor of Rutledge Tower. Both Michelle Cooper, RN and Dr. Michelle Hudspeth, MD reassured the family that they would walk down to the car to help carry this little girl up to a comfortable bed in the clinic. Michelle Cooper’s co-workers who were working that day, Cindy Stokes, RN, Wendy Gordon, RN, and Robin Matutina, RN volunteered to take care of Michelle’s other patients so she could spend one on one time with H. D. This selflessness and focus on the patient exemplifies a DAISY clinic.
Once, H. D. was settled in her clinic room, her nurse, Michelle never left her side. Although offered relief by her fellow nurses, Michelle refused to leave to eat or even have a restroom break. Michelle stood with this little girl and held her hand from morning until about 2:30 in the afternoon, when H. D. who had written a letter to Jesus let go of Michelle’s hand and went to see Jesus with her beautiful smiling face. Michelle remained strong for this little girl and family until after H. D. passed away. Only then, when she herself was walked into the nurse’s report room by her colleagues, did she allow herself to break down and cry. Michelle faced some sleepless nights afterward, the memory so strong in her heart, but what she did for this little girl and family will never be forgotten.
This little girl was diagnosed with a rare form of soft-tissue cancer and passed away on September 30, 2011, but it is the story of Michelle Cooper’s caring that I would like to share. Michelle works in an ambulatory care setting, the pediatric hematology oncology clinic. The normal hours are 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Typically, patients who are very sick are transferred to the inpatient unit, 7CHB or the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). In “the clinic” nurses are assigned four patients each. What made this day extraordinary was the flexibility, teamwork, accommodation, and focus on the patient, all led by Michelle Cooper, RN.
The morning began with a phone call from H. D.’s parents. H. D. had an “allow natural death” order so she could pass away naturally without resuscitation as her cancer was terminal. On this morning, H. D. was so incredibly weak her parents were worried and unsure about even getting her into the car to bring her to the clinic. Her parents resolved they could get her into the car, but she would have to lie down for the trip; there was no way she could sit up. The next obstacle would be getting her up to the clinic on the 6th floor of Rutledge Tower. Both Michelle Cooper, RN and Dr. Michelle Hudspeth, MD reassured the family that they would walk down to the car to help carry this little girl up to a comfortable bed in the clinic. Michelle Cooper’s co-workers who were working that day, Cindy Stokes, RN, Wendy Gordon, RN, and Robin Matutina, RN volunteered to take care of Michelle’s other patients so she could spend one on one time with H. D. This selflessness and focus on the patient exemplifies a DAISY clinic.
Once, H. D. was settled in her clinic room, her nurse, Michelle never left her side. Although offered relief by her fellow nurses, Michelle refused to leave to eat or even have a restroom break. Michelle stood with this little girl and held her hand from morning until about 2:30 in the afternoon, when H. D. who had written a letter to Jesus let go of Michelle’s hand and went to see Jesus with her beautiful smiling face. Michelle remained strong for this little girl and family until after H. D. passed away. Only then, when she herself was walked into the nurse’s report room by her colleagues, did she allow herself to break down and cry. Michelle faced some sleepless nights afterward, the memory so strong in her heart, but what she did for this little girl and family will never be forgotten.