Sometimes, as ER nurses, we are so used to running nonstop that we forget to slow down and truly see the emotional and supportive needs of our patients. But on this day, a young girl walked into the ER in labor with a stillborn baby; Marissa did not let patients go unnoticed by any means. This young girl was all alone at the hospital, experiencing what was likely one of the worst days of her life. She had no one there to support her, educate her on the process, or cry with her. I can not imagine what this must have been like for that girl. But Marissa stepped in as the amazing person and nurse that they are and stayed with this girl throughout the entire process.

Not every nurse would have handed off their other assigned rooms to be completely one-on-one in such a situation, but this nurse did. With the help from an L & D nurse, Marissa helped the patient decide what the next best steps were and how she could honor her baby. The mother decided she wanted a burial service for the child, so she did all she could to help navigate the process. She even helped wrap the baby up so the mother could hold the child she never planned to lose. When listening to her talk about the story, all I could think about was how truly thankful I was that Marissa was the nurse assigned to that young girl that day. There was no better nurse than her to handle such a sad, delicate case. She genuinely hurt for that mother and still thought of her days after.

This is just one example of why I believe Marissa is a DAISY Nurse. Words cannot describe enough how compassionate, nurturing, kind, and hard-working she is. Marissa consistently goes out of her way for her patients and always does it with a smile and a positive attitude. She is the perfect example of an extraordinary nurse and will always be admired by the ones around her.