Samantha Keirsey
August 2021
Samantha
Keirsey
,
BSN, RN
NICU
Primary Children's Hospital--Intermountain Health
Salt Lake City
,
UT
United States
She knew I was nervous and she put me at ease. Not only did she care for our child, but she cared for my big ol’ momma heart, which is more than I could have ever asked from anyone.
Our beautiful baby was born with complications and flown to Primary Children's from Wyoming where he stayed for 34 days. He had many nurses who cared for him, but one stood out among all of them, Sam. We met her the last few weeks we were there when he started accomplishing milestones in preparation for discharge. I would come to visit my son around noon and stay with him until after the shift change. Sam always came in for her night shift with positive radiating energy, you couldn't help but feel happy in her presence, even after a stressful day. She made me forget all my worries for a few minutes in exchange for laughter.
One example of a moment where she went above and beyond was: We had briefly joked about giving him a mohawk after his bath before I left for the night. Roughly an hour later I see a call come across my phone from Primary’s. In all of the days and calls I've received from staff none have ever been pleasant news, so my heart instantly sank again. I answered the phone to hear Sam's voice and asked what was wrong. She let me know nothing was wrong but that she wanted me to look on the Angel Eye to see how cute my little boy looked with his first mohawk! She didn't want me to miss this little moment. It may seem like such a small act, but she was thoughtful enough to reach out and share something good with me.
Another night she came to work, and they let her know he had a 3-hour car seat test. After already passing a 90 min car seat test on oxygen and being put on room air the day after, he would now have to pass a second test. I was incredibly nervous, we were so close to going home! She fed him and laid him in his car bed. At 8:30 I popped on the Angel eye and saw he had begun and I knew around 11:30 he would be done. I stayed up so that I could call her just to ask how it went but checked on the Angel Eye before I did. She held up a sign that said, "He passed!" Let me tell you I was in tears. She knew I was nervous and she put me at ease. Not only did she care for our child, but she cared for my big ol’ momma heart, which is more than I could have ever asked from anyone.
The snuggles she gave, the Disney music she provided, and the physiology studies she put my son asleep to also attributed to why I believe she is a DAISY Nurse. You have yourselves an outstanding nurse and employee. Thank you endlessly, Samantha! We will always remember your kindness and your radiating happiness, keep up the outstanding work, and thank you for just being YOU!
One example of a moment where she went above and beyond was: We had briefly joked about giving him a mohawk after his bath before I left for the night. Roughly an hour later I see a call come across my phone from Primary’s. In all of the days and calls I've received from staff none have ever been pleasant news, so my heart instantly sank again. I answered the phone to hear Sam's voice and asked what was wrong. She let me know nothing was wrong but that she wanted me to look on the Angel Eye to see how cute my little boy looked with his first mohawk! She didn't want me to miss this little moment. It may seem like such a small act, but she was thoughtful enough to reach out and share something good with me.
Another night she came to work, and they let her know he had a 3-hour car seat test. After already passing a 90 min car seat test on oxygen and being put on room air the day after, he would now have to pass a second test. I was incredibly nervous, we were so close to going home! She fed him and laid him in his car bed. At 8:30 I popped on the Angel eye and saw he had begun and I knew around 11:30 he would be done. I stayed up so that I could call her just to ask how it went but checked on the Angel Eye before I did. She held up a sign that said, "He passed!" Let me tell you I was in tears. She knew I was nervous and she put me at ease. Not only did she care for our child, but she cared for my big ol’ momma heart, which is more than I could have ever asked from anyone.
The snuggles she gave, the Disney music she provided, and the physiology studies she put my son asleep to also attributed to why I believe she is a DAISY Nurse. You have yourselves an outstanding nurse and employee. Thank you endlessly, Samantha! We will always remember your kindness and your radiating happiness, keep up the outstanding work, and thank you for just being YOU!