Jane
Mueller
May 2011
Jane
Mueller
,
RN, CCRN
CARDIAC POST ANESTHESIA UNIT
Morristown Medical Center
Morristown
,
NJ
United States
Recently, I had the distinct pleasure of working with Jane Mueller and witness her outstanding care and professionalism on a very difficult day. After observing her exemplary care, I would like to nominate her to receive the prestigious DAISY Award.
Over the course of a week, my co-worker’s assignment was particularly difficult in the sense that the two patients she cared for had sustained devastating anoxic brain injury. Both patients had done well after having surgery and were on their way to a full recovery prior to sustaining their respective and unexpected catastrophic cardiac arrests. These types of postoperative complications remain rare on our unit and therefore her assignment was that much more unusual and challenging. During that week she forged a strong relationship with both families as well as providing compassionate care to her patients. As she faced the possibility of two terminal weans of relatively young patients during one 12-hour shift, Jane took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves and proceeded to attend to the comfort and care of both patients and their families.
Specifically, this involved obtaining a second neurology opinion, so that one of the families could hear from more than one physician that their loved one had no chance of a meaningful recovery. For both patients, this nurse became the facilitator and triggered the palliative care service, the surgical team, the medical doctors, pastoral care and integrative medicine to assist the families in their decision-making process.
Ultimately, both patients were placed on comfort care and one was terminally weaned. Throughout the day, Jane navigated the very complex role of both critical care and end of life care nurse. Sensing the patients and their families needed strong emotional and spiritual support, she gave them just that. She continued to advocate for them, provide emotional support and seemed to know exactly what to say and when not to say anything at all. She worked closely with the multi-disciplinary team, called the family priest to come in for last rites and had the harpist from integrative medicine come to the bedsides to play for the patients and their families during these difficult hours.
Her compassion, empathy and professionalism exemplify her nursing practice. She is a role model for our profession and I am very proud to work with her on our unit.
Over the course of a week, my co-worker’s assignment was particularly difficult in the sense that the two patients she cared for had sustained devastating anoxic brain injury. Both patients had done well after having surgery and were on their way to a full recovery prior to sustaining their respective and unexpected catastrophic cardiac arrests. These types of postoperative complications remain rare on our unit and therefore her assignment was that much more unusual and challenging. During that week she forged a strong relationship with both families as well as providing compassionate care to her patients. As she faced the possibility of two terminal weans of relatively young patients during one 12-hour shift, Jane took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves and proceeded to attend to the comfort and care of both patients and their families.
Specifically, this involved obtaining a second neurology opinion, so that one of the families could hear from more than one physician that their loved one had no chance of a meaningful recovery. For both patients, this nurse became the facilitator and triggered the palliative care service, the surgical team, the medical doctors, pastoral care and integrative medicine to assist the families in their decision-making process.
Ultimately, both patients were placed on comfort care and one was terminally weaned. Throughout the day, Jane navigated the very complex role of both critical care and end of life care nurse. Sensing the patients and their families needed strong emotional and spiritual support, she gave them just that. She continued to advocate for them, provide emotional support and seemed to know exactly what to say and when not to say anything at all. She worked closely with the multi-disciplinary team, called the family priest to come in for last rites and had the harpist from integrative medicine come to the bedsides to play for the patients and their families during these difficult hours.
Her compassion, empathy and professionalism exemplify her nursing practice. She is a role model for our profession and I am very proud to work with her on our unit.