Stef always takes extra time to make a personal connection with her patients. She often seeks to have the most challenging patients, and then charms them with subtle jokes until she finally gets them to smile. The Perioperative care areas are often fast-paced, with a quick turnover of patients. However, one afternoon, Stef's patient was going to be waiting on 7 West for an extended recovery. This patient had arrived from an outside rehab facility, and it was obvious that she had not been properly bathed in a long time. Stef took the initiative to borrow a shampoo kit from another nearby unit and gave the patient a thorough bed bath, shampooed her hair, and brushed her teeth. The change in the patient's demeanor was impressive. She was so thankful to Stef for taking the time out of her busy day and making this a priority. When the patient was eventually transferred to an inpatient room, she was in much better spirits and probably felt significantly better. Stef also goes out of her way to help her coworkers when they are having a tough day. She seeks out ways to assist them with small tasks and doesn't hesitate to offer a hand whenever it is needed. The way she interacts with both her coworkers and her patients makes a world of difference in the positive atmosphere of our unit. I believe Stef is the embodiment of a DAISY Nurse. 

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It's my absolute honor to nominate Stef Page for a DAISY Award. While Stef is always a tireless advocate for patients and their families, there is one example that shows that she's a cut above the rest.

There was a patient who was boarding on 7 West who'd had spinal surgery earlier that day. Stef did her usual thorough assessment, and then the patient said she wanted to get up and walk to the bathroom. When she stood up, Stef noticed there was urine dribbling down the patient's leg. The patient had earlier told Stef that she wasn't experiencing any numbness, but now she realized she was. Stef immediately got her safely back into bed. During this time, she also realized the patient was retaining urine, so she bladder scanned her and subsequently straight-cathed the patient. She reported her findings to the team. The doctors initially thought it wasn't serious and wanted to send the patient home, but Stef knew this could be cord compression. She pushed the doctors to order a STAT MRI. Even though they were reluctant, they were convinced by Stef to order it. When the MRI was read, it confirmed what Stef had suspected. Thanks to Stef's quick assessment skills and fearless advocacy, a potentially life-altering complication for the patient was avoided.

This is just one of the many examples of Stef's relentless advocacy for her patients. She brings those skills to the unit, but it's also her genuine enthusiasm and love for nursing, combined with her joie de vivre, that make Stef deserving of a DAISY Award.