Our son G who is six years old was admitted to Riley Hospital for right eye periorbital cellulitis. Although all nursing staff were excellent during our stay, there was one that really stood out to us all.  

Chris was a night shift nurse who took care of G most of the nights during our stay. Immediately Chris took note that G loved dinosaurs and they quickly bonded over a discussion of their favorite dinosaurs. Chris' favorite the Ankylosaurus and G's the Spinosaurus.  

G was required to do nasal sprays and irrigations twice daily. The irrigations frightened G and caused him severe anxiety. Chris was the most patient with G and giving him the time necessary to accept it was going to be done, as it was detrimental to help clear the sinuses. Although G understood the rationale, he just had a really hard time getting past the fear and anxiety. There was one evening that Chris literally sat on his knees at the bedside for an hour to help calm G and get him to do it. As a nurse myself, I know that was time Chris did not have. He had many other patients who were also very important. But he did it anyway constantly building that trust with our son, talking him through his fears and anxieties. G, many times, would state that "he felt surrounded, anxious, fearful and that he was so sorry, he knew it needed to be done and didn't want to let any of us down." Chris was incredibly patient, empathetic, and compassionate. Chris allowed G the time to come to terms with what was about to happen and be in charge and participate in his own care by being the one to say, "ok now," and Chris would start the irrigation while G counted to five seconds thereby letting Chris know that that side was completed, and Chris would stop. A practice we still use today at home.  

We want to nominate Chris for The DAISY Award as we find him most deserving. The patience, empathy, and compassion he exhibited were outstanding. Chris, sitting on his knees on the hard floor for an hour, never once showed he was frustrated or needed to leave the room. He simply asked for help from one of his coworkers to pass some medications on his other patient. Many would say this is all part of his job, and it is, but not many would have exhibited the patience I saw. 

Chris was able to help and support my son but also was there to calm and support my husband and I during this stressful time.  

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I had previously submitted a nomination form for Chris Boyd, our nurse, during my son G’s stay.  

I just wanted to add to the previous nomination another point that makes Chris a DAISY Nurse. Not only was Chris supportive as mentioned previously. He was a great advocate for my son when the ENT fellow did not appreciate the change in swelling and redness across G’s face and down to his cheek, as we all did. G was admitted for periorbital cellulitis, a serious condition. Chris did just as I had asked, as he agreed something more needed to be done. He called the ID team as they would be the ones to decide to add an additional antibiotic, which we all believed he needed and soon. Another antibiotic was added, Vancomycin, and G’s symptoms started improving.  

Chris’s advocacy and follow-up with the ID team aided in stopping and reversing the quick-moving cellulitis. I really believe had Chris not followed through and spoken to the other team involved in G’s case, we would’ve been looking at a much different picture. G was released on day five of his stay. We currently seem to still have a road in front of us. As the cellulitis and abscess have healed, the sinuses are still full, regardless of our continued twice-a-day irrigations. As mentioned previously in the first nomination, Chris helped come up with a system to help G work through his fears and complete his irrigation treatments.  

We will now journey on to see Riley ENT for continued follow-up while under the care of G’s pediatrician, as he is still in need of antibiotics to keep this at bay.  

It was important for me to add this to the previous nomination as it just goes to show how truly thankful we are to Chris and the many reasons he is so deserving of The DAISY Award. We thank all the other amazing nurses and staff he team of doctors on floor 8, they were all amazing.  

Thank you