Liz Kim
August 2021
Liz
Kim
,
RN
Unit: 6AB MultiOrgan Transplant & Medical Specialties
The Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto
,
Ontario
Canada
Liz is a very warm individual that helped us through an unexpectedly tough time with our son.
My husband and I were at Sick Kids hospital with our three-month-old son in late June 2020 for approximately one month. Our son was unexpectedly diagnosed with acute liver failure and due to his quickly deteriorating state, his admittance to the hospital occurred after an intake in the ER. As the admittance to the hospital was unexpected, there seemed to be endless tests and many doctors’ consultations which were overwhelming and started to blend together. To make things more complicated there was also uncertainty about whether our son required a liver transplant, and the cause of his liver failure was also unclear. Thankfully, my husband and I were introduced to nurse Liz Kim, who helped us navigate our hospital stay. One thing that was interesting and led me to submit this nomination is that my husband was talking about the great support we received over the first week or so of being in the hospital and when we both started singing praises of nurses, it turned out we were both speaking about Liz. As we were in the hospital during times when COVID practices only allowed for one parent to stay over we were never in the hospital at the same time but in the end, Liz’s caring nature led us both to think highly of her and led us to submit this nomination for her to receive the award.
One of the main traits that make Liz stand out is that she always took our comfort into consideration. For example, when entering the hospital room, Liz always made sure she had our permission to enter. She also always made sure our needs were met such as warming up food or making sure my husband and I each took breaks to get something to eat. My son was still bottle feeding during his time in the hospital and Liz always offered to help with the overnight feeds so we could get some sleep. Liz was present during a tough time when the health of our son was at its worst and the outcomes were unclear. During this time, she would go out of her way to be supportive and empathetic. Liz would make sure the doctors answered all of our questions and made sure we were kept in the loop regarding all treatment decisions and plans. Liz was always willing to help track down anyone if we had any concerns or needed clarifications on any parts of the treatment plan. Liz was always willing to lend a listening ear during the toughest days or to have a friendly chat during the good days and she always made you feel welcome and heard during any interactions with her. Liz was always genuinely excited to see our son and, even at three months old, he loved her positive attitude and was always happy with her in the room. Liz is a very warm individual that helped us through an unexpectedly tough time with our son. She was always positive with a smile on her face, and she always went out of her way to be kind and caring. For example, she would always say “hello” and always checked in to see if we needed anything, even if she wasn’t our primary nurse. She was always happy to assist us with anything we needed and never hesitated to help us when she could.
Liz deserves recognition for her hard work, kindness, and overall caring nature. After sitting in a hospital for approximately one month, it became clear to me and my husband that Liz’s behaviour wasn’t only directed at our family but towards all patients, their families, and staff at the hospital. Someone who brings such light into the lives of every person she meets is a true DAISY Nurse.
One of the main traits that make Liz stand out is that she always took our comfort into consideration. For example, when entering the hospital room, Liz always made sure she had our permission to enter. She also always made sure our needs were met such as warming up food or making sure my husband and I each took breaks to get something to eat. My son was still bottle feeding during his time in the hospital and Liz always offered to help with the overnight feeds so we could get some sleep. Liz was present during a tough time when the health of our son was at its worst and the outcomes were unclear. During this time, she would go out of her way to be supportive and empathetic. Liz would make sure the doctors answered all of our questions and made sure we were kept in the loop regarding all treatment decisions and plans. Liz was always willing to help track down anyone if we had any concerns or needed clarifications on any parts of the treatment plan. Liz was always willing to lend a listening ear during the toughest days or to have a friendly chat during the good days and she always made you feel welcome and heard during any interactions with her. Liz was always genuinely excited to see our son and, even at three months old, he loved her positive attitude and was always happy with her in the room. Liz is a very warm individual that helped us through an unexpectedly tough time with our son. She was always positive with a smile on her face, and she always went out of her way to be kind and caring. For example, she would always say “hello” and always checked in to see if we needed anything, even if she wasn’t our primary nurse. She was always happy to assist us with anything we needed and never hesitated to help us when she could.
Liz deserves recognition for her hard work, kindness, and overall caring nature. After sitting in a hospital for approximately one month, it became clear to me and my husband that Liz’s behaviour wasn’t only directed at our family but towards all patients, their families, and staff at the hospital. Someone who brings such light into the lives of every person she meets is a true DAISY Nurse.