Last year, my daughter-in-law, M, had her second lung transplant and was a patient post-operatively on the 4th floor. The unit on the 4th floor has many excellent nurses, who all cared for M, but one stood out amongst the rest.  Every day, nurses go above and beyond to provide patients and their families with excellent clinical care and compassion, but the nurse I would like to nominate went beyond expectations. I would like to honor Lauren Bedford as a nominee for the DAISY Award.  

M had her first bilateral lung transplant at Duke University 9 years prior and her post-operative course was uneventful. We knew that her second lung transplant was going to be more challenging due to the many obstacles related to immune comprised individuals. Both M, my son, and myself were aware of possible complications, but not to the extent that M had to endure. From the very beginning, we knew that M was fighting an uphill battle, and Lauren was beside us in our struggles. It was obvious from the start how smart, compassionate, and family-inclusive she was. I am a pediatric burn ICU nurse, so it was very difficult for me to be on the other side of medicine. From the start, Lauren recognized how important it was to me that I could participate in M’s care and was willing to include me. We spent many hours chatting about nursing, and I came to respect all that she did for M, my son, and myself. I was amazed watching her teach others especially when discussing the use of ECMO. Lauren was always kind, patient, and knowledgeable during many shifts that were challenging.  

As days turned into months, it was obvious to Chris and me, that M was not going to win this battle. There were team meetings with all disciplines throughout the summer months requesting comfort care only. After several discussions with the transplant physicians, comfort care and end-of-life care were in motion. During my nursing career, I have been privileged to be present for this end-of-life stage with many patients, but as we all know, it is a different experience with a loved one. That said, I knew how important it was to have a special nurse at the bedside.  I requested that Lauren be present during M’s last hours to help her on her way to the next life. She did it with such expertise, compassion, and knowledge. M never suffered from anxiety or pain in her final hours because of the exceptional care that Lauren provided. The Mayo Clinic is so lucky to have such an Extraordinary Nurse such as Lauren Bedford.