Cindy
Salerno
February 2012
Cindy
Salerno
,
BSN, RN
ICU/CCU
Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
Burlington
,
MA
United States
I would like to nominate a very special nurse for a DAISY Award because she made such a positive difference for me during a very difficult time.
Cindy Salerno made an enormous difference to me during a very difficult time. Her compassion for my mother was exceptional - and to me. I think she checked in on me as much as she did my mum. She always asked if I was doing OK - and if I had any questions. I always did!
My mum was in the CCU for eight very long days after her heart attack. Heart disease, stents, COPD, fluid on the lungs, IVs, PICCs - these were all new, rather frightening things. Cindy realized that I needed to understand why choices were being made, how the drugs impacted my mum's conditions and how the heart pump and ventilator worked. The Lahey doctors, fellows and interns were wonderful but after they talked to me and my brother, I always had more questions. Cindy was there ready to explain or to get a doctor back to explain.
I sincerely appreciated her ability to realize I needed to understand the cardiac and pulmonary decisions taken for my mum to make them less scary for me. It was all new to me but her empathy, patience and explanations gave me confidence in the actions being taken and it made me realize that my mum had a fighting chance.
Cindy is an extraordinary nurse. A few words on a page cannot really describe all the ways she provided excellent care to my mother and support to me. It was an emotional time and her patience, her calmness, her willingness to answer all my questions - went above and beyond. There were certainly other very great nurses who took care of my mum, but Cindy stands out for me.
Cindy told me it would take time for my mum to find her new normal. I think that this a very apt description and I have used that phrase almost every day now with my mum, who left Lahey after two weeks, went to New England Rehab for a week and is now home recovering very well.
We all find our new normal and thanks to Cindy, as well as all the Doctors, Fellows, Interns and other Nurses, my mum is finding hers.
Cindy Salerno made an enormous difference to me during a very difficult time. Her compassion for my mother was exceptional - and to me. I think she checked in on me as much as she did my mum. She always asked if I was doing OK - and if I had any questions. I always did!
My mum was in the CCU for eight very long days after her heart attack. Heart disease, stents, COPD, fluid on the lungs, IVs, PICCs - these were all new, rather frightening things. Cindy realized that I needed to understand why choices were being made, how the drugs impacted my mum's conditions and how the heart pump and ventilator worked. The Lahey doctors, fellows and interns were wonderful but after they talked to me and my brother, I always had more questions. Cindy was there ready to explain or to get a doctor back to explain.
I sincerely appreciated her ability to realize I needed to understand the cardiac and pulmonary decisions taken for my mum to make them less scary for me. It was all new to me but her empathy, patience and explanations gave me confidence in the actions being taken and it made me realize that my mum had a fighting chance.
Cindy is an extraordinary nurse. A few words on a page cannot really describe all the ways she provided excellent care to my mother and support to me. It was an emotional time and her patience, her calmness, her willingness to answer all my questions - went above and beyond. There were certainly other very great nurses who took care of my mum, but Cindy stands out for me.
Cindy told me it would take time for my mum to find her new normal. I think that this a very apt description and I have used that phrase almost every day now with my mum, who left Lahey after two weeks, went to New England Rehab for a week and is now home recovering very well.
We all find our new normal and thanks to Cindy, as well as all the Doctors, Fellows, Interns and other Nurses, my mum is finding hers.