Jenn Kent
February 2026
Jenn
Kent
,
BSN, RN
Preop/PACU
Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center
Enola
,
PA
United States
She turned what could have been a distressing and traumatic situation into one filled with trust, comfort, and compassion.
This is long overdue, but with the holidays fast approaching, I am reminded of a true Christmas miracle that deserves to be shared.
Our Pre-Op and PACU departments were running with limited staff due to the holiday. We had a light schedule, only two RNs, me as the manager for backup, and one additional nurse scheduled to arrive later in the morning.
Among our patients that day was a woman well known to us, scheduled for an IR procedure. This patient has a history of trauma and has always expressed that she does not wish to have male caregivers. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance from a nursing home, and as always, our team was mindful of her fear of men.
When her procedure was complete, transport arrived to return her to the nursing home, but both transporters were male. The patient became visibly upset and refused to go with them. Being close to the holiday and with limited staffing, there were no female transporters available. We escalated the situation and exhausted all available resources, but options were scarce.
Throughout this, Jenn, who had cared for the patient in both Pre-Op and PACU, remained calm, kind, and patient. She was the one person the patient fully trusted. Without hesitation, Jenn said, “What if I go with her? I can ride in the ambulance, so she feels safe.”
We brought the idea to both hospital and ambulance leadership, and they approved. However, there was one problem the ambulance could take Jenn but would not be able to bring her back to the hospital. After confirming that no additional surgical cases were being added on, I grabbed my coat and keys and told Jenn I would follow behind to bring her back.
Jenn helped load the patient into the ambulance, making sure she was comfortable and reassured. As I followed behind the ambulance, I could see Jenn in the back, full of Christmas spirit, smiling and chatting with the patient. The patient was deeply grateful.
Jenn shared with me on our way back to the hospital that our patient was watching to make sure I was behind them the whole way, yelling at cars when I was not directly behind them because her nurse needed a ride back.
That day will always stay with me.
Jenn's empathy, advocacy, and willingness to go above and beyond exemplify the heart of nursing. She turned what could have been a distressing and traumatic situation into one filled with trust, comfort, and compassion.
Jenn’s actions that day were the very definition of what the DAISY Award represents: extraordinary, selfless care that touches lives in ways that last far beyond the hospital walls.
Our Pre-Op and PACU departments were running with limited staff due to the holiday. We had a light schedule, only two RNs, me as the manager for backup, and one additional nurse scheduled to arrive later in the morning.
Among our patients that day was a woman well known to us, scheduled for an IR procedure. This patient has a history of trauma and has always expressed that she does not wish to have male caregivers. She was transported to the hospital by ambulance from a nursing home, and as always, our team was mindful of her fear of men.
When her procedure was complete, transport arrived to return her to the nursing home, but both transporters were male. The patient became visibly upset and refused to go with them. Being close to the holiday and with limited staffing, there were no female transporters available. We escalated the situation and exhausted all available resources, but options were scarce.
Throughout this, Jenn, who had cared for the patient in both Pre-Op and PACU, remained calm, kind, and patient. She was the one person the patient fully trusted. Without hesitation, Jenn said, “What if I go with her? I can ride in the ambulance, so she feels safe.”
We brought the idea to both hospital and ambulance leadership, and they approved. However, there was one problem the ambulance could take Jenn but would not be able to bring her back to the hospital. After confirming that no additional surgical cases were being added on, I grabbed my coat and keys and told Jenn I would follow behind to bring her back.
Jenn helped load the patient into the ambulance, making sure she was comfortable and reassured. As I followed behind the ambulance, I could see Jenn in the back, full of Christmas spirit, smiling and chatting with the patient. The patient was deeply grateful.
Jenn shared with me on our way back to the hospital that our patient was watching to make sure I was behind them the whole way, yelling at cars when I was not directly behind them because her nurse needed a ride back.
That day will always stay with me.
Jenn's empathy, advocacy, and willingness to go above and beyond exemplify the heart of nursing. She turned what could have been a distressing and traumatic situation into one filled with trust, comfort, and compassion.
Jenn’s actions that day were the very definition of what the DAISY Award represents: extraordinary, selfless care that touches lives in ways that last far beyond the hospital walls.