Soo Hwang
March 2024
Soo
Hwang
,
RN
Tele G6
Riverside Community Hospital
Riverside
,
CA
United States
Soo was steadfast in using words and therapeutic touch to get this patient through a rough night. The end result of Soo’s efforts was that the patient fell asleep on Soo’s arm as she sat in a chair next to her at the bedside.
The DAISY Award is a special recognition given to nurses who provide “extraordinarily compassionate care,” and for this reason, I am nominating Soo Hwang. Soo works on a busy and demanding nursing unit taking care of stroke and cardiac patients. She is a kind, conscientious, and compassionate nurse who provides consistently excellent care to patients. She is beloved by her patients, colleagues, and managers. For these reasons alone, Soo is deserving of recognition, but I want to draw attention to a particular situation in which Soo provided extraordinarily compassionate care.
Recently, Soo was taking care of an elderly female patient who progressively became more emotional and agitated as the shift progressed. The patient had recently experienced a stroke and was struggling with sundowning and dementia. As nurses, we understand the importance of keeping our patients safe, and this patient’s repeated attempts to get out of bed were putting her at risk for a fall. Soo was tender and calm, and she spent hours re-orienting and re-directing this patient to keep her safe. The patient was tearful and made statements that she just “wanted to go home,” and Soo lovingly soothed her during her distress. Again, as nurses, we work with physicians to utilize interventions (including medications and restraints) to help our patients, but Soo was steadfast in using words and therapeutic touch to get this patient through a rough night. The end result of Soo’s efforts was that the patient fell asleep on Soo’s arm as she sat in a chair next to her at the bedside. The patient looked completely at peace in that moment.
That patient will likely never know or understand what Soo did for her that night. That patient will likely never know that Soo began her shift with a rapid response call on one of her patients that occurred at the same time as she was taking care of an emergent blood transfusion for a patient who had an acute and unexpected drop in hemoglobin. If Soo were stressed and overwhelmed by her patient running that shift, you would never know watching her take care of that elderly female patient.
I am honored and proud to work with Soo and grateful that she represents our profession!
Recently, Soo was taking care of an elderly female patient who progressively became more emotional and agitated as the shift progressed. The patient had recently experienced a stroke and was struggling with sundowning and dementia. As nurses, we understand the importance of keeping our patients safe, and this patient’s repeated attempts to get out of bed were putting her at risk for a fall. Soo was tender and calm, and she spent hours re-orienting and re-directing this patient to keep her safe. The patient was tearful and made statements that she just “wanted to go home,” and Soo lovingly soothed her during her distress. Again, as nurses, we work with physicians to utilize interventions (including medications and restraints) to help our patients, but Soo was steadfast in using words and therapeutic touch to get this patient through a rough night. The end result of Soo’s efforts was that the patient fell asleep on Soo’s arm as she sat in a chair next to her at the bedside. The patient looked completely at peace in that moment.
That patient will likely never know or understand what Soo did for her that night. That patient will likely never know that Soo began her shift with a rapid response call on one of her patients that occurred at the same time as she was taking care of an emergent blood transfusion for a patient who had an acute and unexpected drop in hemoglobin. If Soo were stressed and overwhelmed by her patient running that shift, you would never know watching her take care of that elderly female patient.
I am honored and proud to work with Soo and grateful that she represents our profession!