I never expected to spend so much of the last two months in The Miriam Hospital. But, unfortunately, I have made three visits to the ER, I have been admitted two times, and I have had countless appointments, biopsies, etc.
During these many visits, I have encountered a number of truly wonderful nurses, nursing assistants, and folks in a variety of roles. There are so many outstanding people at The Miriam that selecting one as a standout would not have entered my mind until my last visit.
It came home directly for me with a truly remarkable experience I had during my last visit when I was cared for by a nurse named Diane Mahoney. That experience motivated me to nominate her for this award. I have been suffering in pain, I have been exhausted by drugs, I have been through a lot, and the kindness of individuals means the world to someone in the hospital, especially now, when we can't have visitors, and can't depend on the "real life" support of those we love.
I was scheduled to enter the hospital to have a PICC line installed, it was just the last of many visits I have made to the hospital since surgery. It must have been obvious that I was in pain. My nurse, Diane, went well beyond caring for a patient and making sure I was as comfortable as I could be. I genuinely felt as though she Cared for me. Her compassion and excellence were immediately apparent to me as, despite how busy she obviously was, she made me feel as though I was her only concern, and helping me feel better was the only thing that mattered to her while I was there.
I also had never heard of the practice of reiki, but Ms. Mahoney recognized that my pain and anxiety made me a perfect candidate for the experience. She spent the time to use reiki in an effort to make me truly feel better, and I am eternally grateful to her for what a difference those few minutes made. She wanted to take my pain away, she genuinely wanted to make my time in the hospital as positive as it could possibly be. She was exceptional.
The DAISY Award, like all nursing awards, is an important way to recognize truly exceptional work. Diane Mahoney modeled what this award stands for as she genuinely demonstrated caring and went out of her way to establish a connection with me which made me trust her and believe in her, above and beyond my natural respect for nurses.
Ms. Mahoney definitely serves as a role model as all around her could see how much she cared about her patients and about the professionalism that her role requires of her. Diane Mahoney took the time to truly care, and she made a difference. I am proud to nominate her for this award, as I genuinely believe she exemplifies all for which this award is dedicated. She was super-human for me that day, and I desperately needed it. She made a difference and I needed someone (outside of my immediate family) to exhibit compassion and make me feel like there was hope. She was exceptional, and she did all of that, I will never forget it, and I am grateful that she happened to be my nurse that day. I was at a low point, and she put me in a better place through her compassion, her active listening, and her ability to exhibit all that the very best nurses are able to do.