Jose R Baes
December 2025
Jose R
Baes
,
BSN, RN
Medical Surgical Unit
Northern Navajo Medical Center
Shiprock
,
NM
United States
I found it remarkable that even in my patient’s final days, she thought of how Red touched her life.
I had the privilege of caring for a 67-year-old patient who had a number of lengthy hospitalizations over a short period of a couple of months.
During her last hospitalization at NNMC, she was given a rather grim prognosis and was placed on the Palliative Care Service. She was devastated. However, in the midst of this overwhelming sense of despair, she went on to tell me how much Jose Red Baes (Red), a nurse on our Med-Surg unit, was a beacon of light, infinitely touching her life with his care.
She stated that she had gotten the worst news that someone could get/ She had only weeks to months to live. However, Red made her feel that everything would be okay. Red was so gentle with his care, making me feel valued and loved no matter what was going on. She went on to state that he would come into her hospital room with a big smile and say, “Good evening!" and she knew she was going to be well cared for.
"He took the time to listen to me and made sure not only my needs were met, but made me feel like I mattered." She mentioned that at the end of her hospitalization, she felt like she gained another son. Unfortunately, like many of the patients in Palliative Care, this patient succumbed to her disease process. However, before she passed, one of her last wishes was to nominate Red for the DAISY Award, and she made me promise to help her.
The quotes taken for this nomination came from some of her last conversations. I found it remarkable that even in my patient’s final days, she thought of how Red touched her life. Nurses work tirelessly to positively impact their patients' lives and often do not hear about it until much later, if at all. Stories of exemplary care should be celebrated.
During her last hospitalization at NNMC, she was given a rather grim prognosis and was placed on the Palliative Care Service. She was devastated. However, in the midst of this overwhelming sense of despair, she went on to tell me how much Jose Red Baes (Red), a nurse on our Med-Surg unit, was a beacon of light, infinitely touching her life with his care.
She stated that she had gotten the worst news that someone could get/ She had only weeks to months to live. However, Red made her feel that everything would be okay. Red was so gentle with his care, making me feel valued and loved no matter what was going on. She went on to state that he would come into her hospital room with a big smile and say, “Good evening!" and she knew she was going to be well cared for.
"He took the time to listen to me and made sure not only my needs were met, but made me feel like I mattered." She mentioned that at the end of her hospitalization, she felt like she gained another son. Unfortunately, like many of the patients in Palliative Care, this patient succumbed to her disease process. However, before she passed, one of her last wishes was to nominate Red for the DAISY Award, and she made me promise to help her.
The quotes taken for this nomination came from some of her last conversations. I found it remarkable that even in my patient’s final days, she thought of how Red touched her life. Nurses work tirelessly to positively impact their patients' lives and often do not hear about it until much later, if at all. Stories of exemplary care should be celebrated.