I brought my teenage son to JFKUMC ED for an urgent issue. My son wasn't feeling well and had swelling to the side of his throat causing severe pain and tenderness with swallowing. One of my concerns at that time was if the swelling increased how that would impact breathing. So off to JFKUMC ED we went.

Upon arrival, we were greeted in the Main ED and sent to PEDS ED triage. There we met the nurse, Emily Matli. She could tell my son was nervous (and mom too). She brought my son to triage and to his room. Emily was a shining light and helped to transition our nervousness to feeling more at ease and comfort. The first thing I noticed was how clean the room was and the whiteboard was up-to-date. I immediately pointed that out and gave kudos. With a big smile and pride in her voice, she said, "Thank you, I like to update these boards for my patients, I think it helps them remember who their nurse and doctor are."

As my son laid on the stretcher, she began to inform us what she was about to do and what to expect. She injected humor while compassionately caring for my son, and her skills and composure in dealing with a sick and cranky teenager were remarkable. I could tell she helped to bring a sense of calmness and well-being. After meeting the physician, Emily returned and asked us if we understood what they will be testing for to help determine a diagnosis. She informed us about how long it would take for the results to return. Before leaving the room she purposefully rounded on us to ensure while we waited we were comfortable or needed anything.

As time passed and the ED began to fill up quickly, I could see Emily going from one room to another. Despite the business, she noticed my son still had not gone for his ultrasound. She acknowledged how long we were waiting and informed us she would call to find out an estimated time. She again popped her head into the room and told us we should be going for an ultrasound in the next 10 minutes. After returning from the ultrasound, Emily came to the room and checked in on my son, again injecting humor while also being informative. Luckily, my son was fine and the physician discharged my son. Emily returned to provide discharge instructions and ensured we understood what the diagnosis was and the medication ordered. She proceeded to inform him of medication side effects and further symptoms to seek medical care. I would like to nominate Emily Matli for the DAISY Award as she demonstrated extraordinary nursing care through compassion and dedication and helped to make a difference in the short time she cared for my son.