July 2022
Kara
Steffy
,
RN
Pediatrics
Lancaster General Hospital, Penn Medicine
Lancaster
,
PA
United States
Kara never gave less than 110% in getting answers or making sure our son was comfortable and content during his stay.
I would like to nominate a nurse from the pediatric unit who went above and beyond patient care to be an advocate for our son and make sure our needs were met during our stay at LGH. Kara Steffy was cheerful, upbeat, and empathetic during each and every interaction. She was aware and reactive to our son’s needs and requests, sometimes before he or we even voiced them. She distracted him during difficult medical procedures with genuine interest and compassion. Our son was having trouble with blood draws and IV insertion. Kara was observant of this, and when it was time for the fourth blood draw in 24 hours, Kara magically appeared with a game. She told our son that she had wondered if he had ever seen the bedside tablets available and that this one had a really fun game. She asked him if he wanted to play. He said no. She didn’t give up. She challenged him to a race. He complied, and after several times of watching him play with constant encouragement and praise, his face lit up, and he became engaged. She was so genuine and authentic that I didn’t even realize what she was doing (distracting him from something that had caused him pain and many tears and anxiety) until the blood draw was all over. Kara never gave less than 110% in getting answers or making sure our son was comfortable and content during his stay. She involved us as parents in medical choices and decisions during the process instead of after. Kara was a bright, shining, constant light in a difficult time. Having nurses who care is necessary, especially in pediatric medicine. But having nurses who commit in every moment, who demonstrate exemplary care while in unstable situations, and who touch patients and families beyond standard nursing care are very rare. Kara is that nurse. She is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, more than deserving of the DAISY Award. We hope we can honor her excellence in care as a nurse and patient advocate by nominating her for this Award. Her heart is truly invested in children, their families, and her profession. We feel blessed beyond measure to have met her and to have been under her care.