Lindsay
Quirk
August 2010
Lindsay
Quirk
,
RN, BSN
Emergency Department
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Lindsay Quirk, RN, BSN, Emergency Department (ED), was chosen to receive The DAISY Award for the month of August. And it was an interesting turn of events that led to her nomination. CHLA’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Rod Hanners had brought his daughter to the ED for a broken wrist. After that experience, he was so impressed with Lindsay and the quality of care she provided to his daughter and his whole family that he nominated her for a DAISY Award.

“The biggest thing with Lindsay,” says Rod, “is that she just really connected with my daughter. As close as you are to CHLA, it just makes you proud.

“When I got back into work that Monday, I dropped off a card to Lindsay that my wife and I had gotten for her,” says Rod. “But I wanted to do more, so I spoke with Mary Dee [Hacker, chief nursing officer], and she suggested I nominate Lindsay.”

An excerpt from Lindsay’s nomination form:

“I had the misfortune of needing to bring my 17-year-old daughter to the Emergency Department with a broken wrist. As unpleasant as that event was to my wife, younger daughter and myself, the silver lining was the opportunity to meet and get to know Lindsay Quirk. Technical competence was a given… what stood out was the spirit with which she approached her duties that captivated us.

“She had such a positive, reassuring personality and immediately connected with my anxious wife, inquisitive younger daughter and injured older daughter — easing their fears and frustrations with the injury.

“As a father I couldn’t have been more pleased, but as the chief operating officer of this hospital, I couldn’t have been more proud. In those late hours on a Friday evening, I had the privilege of experiencing what so many families experience each and every day — a super committed nurse who cares so much about the work she does, all on display through her gestures, her eyes, her movements, her patience and her spoken words.

“Lindsay embodied all the qualities we aspire for every caregiver and non-caregiver at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, and while it took an injury to my daughter to see her in action, I am thankful that I had the chance. In the words of my daughter coming out of anesthesia (I call it ‘truth serum’): ‘Lindsay…’ (Lindsay says, ‘I’m here.’) ‘I love you!’ says my daughter.”