Trauma can create profound physical and emotional wounds. Sometimes, it’s the emotional part that needs the most attention.
It was a Saturday in March and Peter Knesel, an Emergency Department nurse, was about to go off shift. That’s when a double trauma came in. Peter went into action.
One patient, a little girl, was wet, scared, vulnerable and crying. The ED tech talked to her and held her. The child finally opened up about her love of Barbies. Well, after her scans she came back to find Barbies in her room, which made her super happy.
Once she was cleared by the doctor, Peter put blankets on the ground and sat down and played Barbies with her for hours until a family member was able to come and get her. Peter stayed long after his shift.
“Peter went above and beyond to make this little girl feel safe, happy and secure,” wrote Amanda Murray, a co-worker who nominated Peter for a DAISY Award. “He is a great nurse all around but has a soft gentle touch when it comes to pediatrics.”
What is the DAISY Award? The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in honor of Patrick Barnes, who died in Seattle of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura. His parents created the DAISY Foundation (DAISY is an acronym for diseases attacking the immune system) to recognize nurses for the exceptional care they provided their son during his illness. Hospitals across the country have since adopted the program.
To find out more about the program, including the list of partners, please go to daisyfoundation.org.
Nominate a nurse for a DAISY award.
Patients and others may nominate nurses for a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Asante Ashland, Asante Rogue Regional or Asante Three Rivers, based on factors including care of and compassion for patients and their loved ones.
