Recently, we had an open-heart patient who was on ECMO and was fighting for his life. During this time, one of our nurses really took ownership and special care of this patient. This patient was in our unit for over 45 days. This, as you can imagine for the family and the patient can get very discouraging and drawn out. Daniel, however, was not going to let this patient have a bad day when he was working. Whether he had the patient or not that day, he was sure to check in and make him smile. He took special care of him and his family even after we decannulated the patient.

Sometimes, it’s the little things we take for granted: like having sunshine on our face or breathing in fresh air. Towards the end of his time in CICU, Daniel would personally get this patient in a wheelchair, take him outside, and let him feel sunshine on his face every day. Which, if you have ever worked in an ICU, you know that getting a monitor and a team of people to do so can be quite the ordeal. But, not for Daniel. He was determined to help this patient experience joy during a very hard time in his life. Whenever Daniel came into work, he would ask to take care of this patient. It was his mission to make that man smile and his family. He was a source of hope and joy for them in a time of need. On one of the last days that the patient was here, Daniel gave him a bath and played some of his favorite music. You could see the patient’s feet bouncing joyfully up and down. He couldn’t speak much because he had a trach, but he smiled and was able to feel happiness when Daniel was around.

When I think about what a DAISY nurse looks like, I think of Daniel. There are some people who make the world a brighter and better place to be in, and he is one of them. Every day when he comes to work, he is willing to do anything that I ask him to; and with a joyful attitude. This patient is one of the many examples of what he does every day for his patients. CICU is lucky to have such a fabulous and caring nurse who sets a standard for compassionate care.