We are working in challenging times. Many of our patients are struggling to cope and manage their lives, their diseases, and their medical care. The needs of the community are often greater than the resources of our healthcare system. Therefore, the patient battle often falls before our outpatient palliative care team and Julie, our sole provider.

Ms. Kilzer currently manages all the outpatient prescribing and provider support needs for the entire Columbia Network. She is solely responsible for seventy-one patients, many of whom are complex and rely on her expertise and knowledge. In addition, she oversees patient needs for our RN and MSW teams, which includes an additional eighty-eight patients. One individual serving one hundred and fifty-nine patients! I have never seen anything quite like it in my professional nursing career.

When I recently asked Ms. Kilzer how I could support her practice and limit her census to promote a healthy work-life balance, she reluctantly agreed to allowing us to screen referrals with greater scrutiny. See, she did not want to turn anyone away. She refused to say she was closed to patients who need her care. She knows the need is great, and she knows she can make a difference.

Ms. Kilzer puts everyone else before herself, takes on an entire network of the most troubled and in need, does not complain, and rarely asks for assistance. In fact, I see her logging in on days off and I don’t believe she has had a real vacation since she joined our organization. On top of all of that, she is continuing her education to increase her knowledge so that she can continue to serve others.

Ms. Kilzer is one of the most gracious and amazing humans I have ever had the pleasure to work with and she exemplifies what the DAISY Award is about. Quiet resolve and dedication to nursing excellence and patient centered care without hesitation!