Courtney Lingo, BSN, RN, PHN, PCCN

I was at Kaiser and Santa Clara for a heart valve replacement. They gave me a heart monitor to go home with. My daughter took me home, and I was so tired. I wanted to take a nap, so I went into my bedroom and was sleeping, and my daughter came in at 3:45 and woke me up and said, "Mom, we have to go to the ER."

She said that people at the heart monitor had called, and she told them I was sleeping. They said my heart had stopped for six seconds, and then my heart stopped completely, then started up again. I was taken to the ER, where I was greeted.

Courtney came into the room, and they were going to do a temporary pacemaker. They got me prepped for my procedure, and they put this hazmat cover over me with the plastic window. I started to panic when they covered my face up, and Courtney came over and sat down in a chair next to my bed and held my hand. She took her other hand and held up the cover so I could have plenty of air and not be so confined. She also told me to squeeze her hand as hard as I needed to and that she could take it.

If it wasn’t for Courtney, I don’t think I would’ve gotten through the procedure on my own. I am a 79-year-old woman and getting a pacemaker was scary to me. Courtney never left my side. She stayed right there with me through the whole ordeal.

Courtney is absolutely in the correct field she is supposed to be in. Courtney is a caring and compassionate young lady. Kaiser is very lucky to have her, and I’m lucky to have Kaiser because she came along with it.

For the rest of my life, I will never forget Courtney in the ER room holding my hand. You have no idea what that meant to me.

Thank you, Kaiser, and thank you, Courtney. 

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I was admitted into the ED with severe stomach pain and the flu around 7:00 pm. My nurse’s name was Courtney. I am nominating her for the DAISY Award because, in the years I’ve been with Kaiser, I’m certain I’ve never had a Registered Nurse be so caring and, most importantly, noticed a patient's needs before they needed it.

I could hear her interactions with other patients, with one woman in the bed behind me needing a blanket, and Courtney brought it to her before even asking. I heard the interaction as the female patient said, "Oh wow, how’d you know?"

I could tell all the nurses in the unit were working very hard and stressed out, but Courtney showed poise and the utmost care and efficiency in her work.

Thank you for making sure I made it home and, most importantly, for making me feel better.