We would first like to thank Kaiser Baldwin Park for the care that my mother received during the holiday season. Most importantly for one particular extraordinary member of your team who is absolutely deserving of recognition. Not because she is courteous, uplifting, committed, competent, and professional, although those would be reason enough, but because of her heart.
We met Ethel on Christmas Eve (which happens to also be her birthday). My mother was admitted early that morning with a severe case of Sepsis. Right before Christmas, so the mood of the day wasn't as cheerful, as most would expect. However, as soon as 7:30p hit (on nurse shift change), here walked in an enthusiastic positive being, like a lighted candle in a dark room, she gave us confidence that all would be well when it did not seem so. Ethel's engagement in my mother's well-being began immediately. She offered a private room when the neighbor in the shared room had one too many obnoxious visitors all at once. We didn't complain about the rowdiness, because it was Christmas and the last place people expect to end up (holiday or not) is in the hospital, but here we all were. Ethel made it a point to remove my mother from an overactive noisy environment that was worsening her chronic headaches. Ethel did everything she possibly could to promote comfort and constant health improvement. Checking in frequently, acquiring the answers to medical questions quickly, managing sporadic symptoms and risks as they arose, listened to my family's concerns, and found a way to make this situation bearable... simply going above and beyond typical "bedside manner".
My mother has Type 2 Diabetes, with all things considered, Ethel strategically planned ahead of schedule to provide a solution to my mother's high/low sugar levels even prior to the levels becoming out of whack, which was always an issue with other nurses. A snack before bed to avoid a low sugar level mornings and having to deal with it then. As well as educating my mom on how to risk manage her diabetes and maintain somewhat controlled sugar levels through dieting and exercising. It was abundantly clear that preserving the quality of life of others was much more important to her than her own.
Ethel's commitment and capacity to care for her patients is something that I have never experienced or witnessed my parents experience in any of the years we have been guests at Kaiser (until now). Ethel has the unique ability to reach others and demonstrates an extraordinary passion for her career and compassion for others. I will never forget the genuine empathy displayed and the outstanding care that she gave us. I will also never forget the feelings of trust and comfort that I had knowing that my mother was under Ethel's care the nights she stayed at the hospital. Ethel went the extra mile for my family and made each of us feel like we mattered. Beings like Ethel restore faith in humanity. A daily reminder that there are good people still out there in this world. I can't help but wonder if the nursing career chose her, because it was the perfect match. The DAISY Award belongs to trustworthy, passionate, knowledgeable, caring, selfless one in a million gems like Ethel.