May 2013
Lindy
Mathes
,
RN
med/surg
Bethesda North Hospital
Cincinnati
,
OH
United States

 

 

 

Lindy consistently demonstrates extraordinary nursing care each day she works but specifically while she was providing care for a newly diagnosed, complex lymphoma patient. Not only did Lindy provide excellent care to this patient, she also provided outstanding care to his family. Lindy took care fo this patient for five twelve hour shifts. Each shift she provided above standard care to this difficult and challenging patient on her own. Due to his clinical condition no one except the nurse was allowed to enter the room. Lindy turned this 6'4" man every 2 hours on her own. She gave complete bed baths multiple times each day due to his incontinence issues on her own. Each trip to the bathroom or chair was done by Lindy. She provided this one-on-one care to this patient while also having 2 or 3 other patients in her daily work assignment. All this plus chemo and blood products.

Lindy also took the time to sit with the family each day to explain, discuss, and answer questions about the treatment plan, what to expect and how to prepare for what was to come. Each day she answered the same questions over again for this anxious family, but she did so with professionalism and respect. This family was scared, through Lindy's knowledge and experience; this family grew to trust her to care for their loved one. She did all this for this patient and family while her own family was experiencing medically emergent care needs as well. She reassured this family each day as the patient's status declined what the daily plan and outcomes were so they could be prepared and comfortable with the hospitalization.

Caring for this patient was mentally and physical exhausting for the staff. Lindy always put the patient first no matter what else was going on. She did all this and still maintained a positive and helpful demeanor towards the rest of the staff.

Lindy exemplifies what an outstanding nurse does every day. She is a huge asset and the unit is very lucky to work with her. She collaborates with physicians and involves the other supporting disciplines in her care as well. Lindy is a model employee and she deserves the honor of being recognized as a DAISY.