Gary provided exceptional nursing care to my elderly 93-year-old father. His attention to Dad’s needs as an elderly patient was so valued and appreciated. Dad came to Ohio State with RSV post-exposure at the funeral of his 90-year-old wife. Dad and Mom were to celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary; instead, Dad was honoring his wife with a funeral visitation. Gary understood Dad’s grief and built that into his care plan each moment. Gary respected Dad’s need for independence and also his need to control something, and that was his room at the hospital.

As a former critical care nurse, what impressed me most was Gary’s assessment skills and advocacy based on Dad’s emotional, nursing, and medical needs. His actions that day and communication to the medical team resulted in getting his UTI addressed with antibiotics, control of heart rate with Metoprolol, recognition of hypo magnesium level with Magnesium drip, and multiple adjustments to his 02 level with close 02 sat monitoring and oral suctioning. He recognized he had converted from his baseline of Sinus Rhythm to a very rapid Atrial Fib with rates peaking at 190 and bigeminal PVC’s.

In my mind, I was concerned I would be planning 2 funerals in 2 weeks.
Each one of Gary’s assessments was reported to the physician in a timely and purposeful manner that resulted in physician orders and interventions.

As a long-time DAISY Award nursing leader, Gary was extraordinary in his nursing practice, and the entire team that supported him was amazing. It was an honor to watch him in motion and it gives me so much faith in our next generation of nurses.