Our son was born with a congenital heart defect, Aortic Coarctation, that required immediate admission into the hospital and a scheduled surgery. We're from Montana, so for us, that meant Mom and Son getting on a single-prop airplane during a winter storm and flying to Seattle early in the morning. It meant missing work and home for nearly three weeks, and sleepless nights wondering what the future held. His heart defect is not uncommon, and the treatment option we were told was promised as effective. All good news, but to brand new parents, it's impossible not to spiral or grow anxious at the thought of having your two-week-old son go under the knife, especially any surgery of the heart.

I cannot commend the Nursing staff of Seattle Children's Hospital enough. We were under the diligent care of dozens of Nursing staff, from when my Wife first arrived in Seattle, to an intubated, post-surgery baby, to eventual discharge. Being handled by so many people can be disorienting, and at times difficult, especially when leaving the competent hands of one nurse and being handed off to the next, but each time, the Nursing Staff was graceful and capable.

The nurse who took care of our son upon being discharged to Acute Care, Lauren Kelly, was extraordinary. She stood out in every way (which, among such stellar co-workers, is a feat in itself). Lauren exhibited competency and confidence in her work. She understood the medical implications of O's surgery and never missed a beat in his care. She is a natural with babies, and helped step in as a surrogate parent as well, when my wife or I were trying to catch up on sleep. She is a wealth of knowledge, and, more than any other nurse in Acute care, we felt 100% at ease in her presence. Most importantly, Lauren also exhibited compassion in her care. She understood that while O was the patient being treated, he came with two neurotic parents trying to do their best to keep it all together. She answered all of our questions and, importantly, when she didn't know, she said so and followed up with answers. 

Forgive the soapbox here, but America's healthcare is broken in many ways. One of which is the lack of bedside manner, lack of communication, and lack of humanity. At times, it can feel as though we are just numbers, labs, diagnostics, and treatments. 

But Lauren treated us differently. She reminded us that there is more to medicine than diagnosis and treatment. There must be humanity behind it--someone who sees what you're going through.

Her care was Exceptional, she was present for every feeding, medicine administration, and went above and beyond to give us time to rest. She showed incredible Compassion by being patient, answering all of our questions, and making sure we were connected to the right people, especially our fear-driven questions about our child's well-being. Her Dedication was unmatched; despite having other patients/families, we felt as if our care was unique and comprehensive.

This is why we wish to nominate Lauren for the DAISY Award, and we hope that you see her value as well and honor her.