Kenley LePage
March 2022
Kenley
LePage
,
RN, BSN
2B
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
Gilbert
,
AZ
United States
Where most of the doctors failed to give me a holistic assessment of his ailments, Kenley did so in a blunt, loving, respectful way - gauging my reaction and feeding me the necessary information to make informed decisions.
I spent over a week in the hospital. Most of the nursing staff was very helpful, but there was one nurse, Kenley, that stood out to me. She was very caring, helpful and treated me like family. I would highly recommend The DAISY Award for her, she is like the daughter I never had. Thank you.”
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“...However this award nomination is for Kenley, a nurse on 2B. Words are inadequate for the gift she gave to me and my husband - but especially to me. My husband had multiple, complicated health issues - tackling one meant causing another to worsen. Blood thinners to help the heart would cause internal bleeding of his stomach and upper GI, etc. Where most of the doctors failed to give me a holistic assessment of his ailments, Kenley did so in a blunt, loving, respectful way - gauging my reaction and feeding me the necessary information to make informed decisions. When I was frustrated, Kenley listened and offered reasoning and support. When I was frustrated with the lack of true communication on the difficult subject of death and what exactly is palliative care, she took the time to provide real examples of services and most importantly, why palliative care was being recommended - that was more than just providing ‘help’ to me - she lovingly told me to prepare for the end game and think about what my husband would have wanted for quality of life over quantity of life.
While I knew I wasn't going to go on long bike rides or cruises with my husband anymore, my conversations with Kenley really helped me - and again, words are insufficient - to truly grasp that his end was approaching much faster than I anticipated. Our conversations empowered me to develop a plan to ensure his wishes were carried out, and most importantly, that a plan to step back some services wasn’t an action to kill him but an action to allow his failing body to take over. I never had to execute that plan. Doctors danced around the topic but Kenley took it head-on with me. Most of all, her very presence in his room brought relief from emotional pain. She stopped by even when my husband wasn’t her patient - in fact, in the last few days, she promised me she’d watch him closely as I had to step out (I don’t remember why - but I didn’t want him to be alone). Kenley is an exceptional nurse and deserves to be recognized with a DAISY Award.”
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“...However this award nomination is for Kenley, a nurse on 2B. Words are inadequate for the gift she gave to me and my husband - but especially to me. My husband had multiple, complicated health issues - tackling one meant causing another to worsen. Blood thinners to help the heart would cause internal bleeding of his stomach and upper GI, etc. Where most of the doctors failed to give me a holistic assessment of his ailments, Kenley did so in a blunt, loving, respectful way - gauging my reaction and feeding me the necessary information to make informed decisions. When I was frustrated, Kenley listened and offered reasoning and support. When I was frustrated with the lack of true communication on the difficult subject of death and what exactly is palliative care, she took the time to provide real examples of services and most importantly, why palliative care was being recommended - that was more than just providing ‘help’ to me - she lovingly told me to prepare for the end game and think about what my husband would have wanted for quality of life over quantity of life.
While I knew I wasn't going to go on long bike rides or cruises with my husband anymore, my conversations with Kenley really helped me - and again, words are insufficient - to truly grasp that his end was approaching much faster than I anticipated. Our conversations empowered me to develop a plan to ensure his wishes were carried out, and most importantly, that a plan to step back some services wasn’t an action to kill him but an action to allow his failing body to take over. I never had to execute that plan. Doctors danced around the topic but Kenley took it head-on with me. Most of all, her very presence in his room brought relief from emotional pain. She stopped by even when my husband wasn’t her patient - in fact, in the last few days, she promised me she’d watch him closely as I had to step out (I don’t remember why - but I didn’t want him to be alone). Kenley is an exceptional nurse and deserves to be recognized with a DAISY Award.”