My mom was admitted for 9 days after a very bad stroke with a large brain bleed and I stayed with her pretty much 24/7. Making the decision to put her on the ventilator was difficult but I agreed to do so if it became necessary. I left to go out to dinner with my husband and Dawn called me to let me know that they did put my mom on the ventilator; she didn't want me to be shocked or upset when I returned from dinner. That is just one small example of how Dawn went out of her way to make sure that first and foremost my mom's care was her priority but she went above and beyond to keep me in the loop and I could tell she genuinely cared about my well being too! One morning when she came in she asked if I wanted a coffee and I told her how I liked it and every morning thereafter that she worked she brought me coffee fixed the way I liked it even if she did not have my mom as her patient that day! She made a point to stop by to check on me and provide her support and give me a hug; something that I can honestly say got me through some dark times.
After I made the decision to withdraw life support, Dawn checked on me often and even came by to say good-bye to my mom. After my mom passed she was there with her compassion and support and a much-needed hug at the right time. I realize ICU nurses must focus on their patients to give them the best care possible which Dawn definitely did but she went out of her way to support me during what was one of the most difficult times of my life. When she was my mom's nurse she was very patient with all my questions and made sure I was always informed. She could tell when some news was very upsetting to me and she did her best to comfort me. Even when she was not my mom's nurse she would check on me and my mom on her breaks and before and after shift. She is a truly remarkable nurse and human being and you are very lucky to have her on your nursing team. Thank you, Dawn, for helping me through one of the worst times of my life.