My 44-year-old husband had been admitted to the hospital after arriving to the ER for what we thought was a simple case of viral tonsillitis.  We then soon found out he had epiglottitis and an abscess which was making it difficult for him to breathe.  He was admitted to CCU for observation.  Later that night we elected to intubate to allow the swelling to decrease.  He ended up having empyema and his survival was limited.  

After a 4-6 week stay in CCU (where the staff was amazing as well including the agency RNs!) he was finally moved to 5E right at the end of day shift. McKenzie was our night RN and she was fabulous. She started asking questions that did not seem completely accurate so I began to tell her all the things he had done up to this point. McKenzie wrote down every event with the date and this paper of information was passed from RN to RN and even went to rehab with us.  This is one way to ensure a patient's safety! Also, she planned out his pain regimen tasks for the evening and sleep medication to ensure he could sleep as much as possible.  He still had his CCU delirium but he cleared up quickly (thanks to the doctor for encouraging this move! I did not believe him until I saw the quick change in his confusion). 

At this point, he had many chest tubes, a feeding tube, thoracentesis, and now a trach.  He had also been on 12 drips at one point.  McKenzie was so aware of his needs and wanted to ensure he was as comfortable as possible.  When she would come in at night, she would cover his eyes when turning on the lights to complete her tasks!  This was incredible, she knew his need to sleep was crucial for his confusion and recovery and he could not sleep once the lights were on.  She did this multiple times for him.  

During the stay, McKenzie was a breath of fresh air at night and allowed me the security I needed to leave and rest in my home. I could call and check on him and never felt I was bothering her.  Fast forward to rehab, back to 5E for the need of a VATS.  She was there again!  She helped him feel confident about having surgery again and gave us a lot of reassurance.  She reported, "I hope I see you here when I get back tonight." We ended up in CCU just for observation as requested by the surgeon.  When we arrived, my husband asked many questions but we had a new agency RN who was learning; therefore, I called 5E and asked to talk to McKenzie. We only had questions about the chest tubes and coughing up blood. McKenzie did not hesitate one bit and reassured me of what was normal.  Again, another opportunity for her to only care for the patients she had but she did not.  She helped with no hesitation.  He did end up back on 5E the next day.  It felt like home for both of us at this point. We were both comfortable with all the staff and so excited to see McKenzie. McKenzie is patient and kind and she never left the room until my husband had everything he needed.  She kept asking to ensure it was right before she left.  I remember while in the hospital my husband told me "McKenzie is great!" When I asked him how she is great, he just said, "she is really concerned with my comfort and she makes me feel comfortable." 

McKenzie showed all the values of Baptist. Not to mention JOY!  She always came in with a smile and always made both of us feel cared for and cared about. I know there were shifts they were short-staffed on nights but you would have never known this by talking with McKenzie.  She always made us feel like we were the only ones there.  We did finally make it back to rehab and then home. After never being in a hospital and having to stay like 12 weeks, we could not have done it without the great care of the staff. McKenzie has a way to show how much she cares about people and just truly goes above for her patients.  She learns about her patients and their families and uses that to help her care well for them.  WE can never show her how much she is appreciated but we do think she is most deserving of The DAISY Award. McKenzie truly understands people and how her role impacts people. It is really nice to know when you leave, if something happens, she would be there for your husband.  We are so grateful.