Hailey Gallert
April 2025
Hailey
Gallert
,
RN
2 East - ICU
SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital - Madison
Madison
,
WI
United States
After L and her family were no longer in our care, Hailey continued to care for them by organizing a collection to support them with funeral and medical expenses.
April is Donate Life month, and it is fitting to finally submit this nomination for a Daisy Award. This is a difficult story to tell, but enough time has passed to allow staff and, particularly, this nurse to begin to heal.
"I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results."
These words by Florence Nightingale describe how a truly caring and loving nurse goes above and beyond tending to the basic needs of patients.
Hailey Gallert is the epitome of what a compassionate nurse is, which she demonstrated through the care of L and her family. L was admitted to 2E ICU, and intubated after she had an emergency C-section and seizures from eclampsia. Unfortunately, M, L's baby girl was stillborn and had to stay at the outlying hospital at the time of transfer. Staff at St. Mary's worked hard to get the baby transported here so L could have time with her. L was not responsive and was on the ventilator during the early days of her stay.
This did not stop Hailey from making sure M spent as much time with L as possible. Hailey worked with Birth Suites to have M in the room throughout her shift, helping position L so she was able to hold M and so other family members could bond as well. L's husband was at her bedside nearly 24/7, and Hailey made sure to always keep him updated and able to be near L and M. Hailey would take special care while bathing L to make sure she looked her best for all of her visitors. She would brush and braid her hair every night. While giving L her bath, Hailey would talk with the husband, providing support and encouragement through this challenging time.
Once he was ready for M to go to the funeral home, Hailey made sure to keep M's baby blanket on L's bed, so she had a piece of her close by. L eventually needed to be placed on continuous dialysis, requiring 1:1 care around the clock. Hailey took extra time to be there for her husband as he struggled with losing his baby girl, and his wife was in critical condition. She would talk with him for hours, getting to know him and creating a bond. Hailey would place a recliner next to L's bed for him and would maneuver around him to allow them to have time together. L never woke, and her brain injury progressed to brain death.
L wanted to be an Organ Donor, and he fully supported her wishes. Throughout the process of preparing L for donation, Hailey continued to support him and the rest of L's family. She created keepsakes for them to have to remember L in the future, including crocheting her a blanket in her favorite colors. Hailey even picked up extra shifts due to short staffing to make sure L would receive the best care possible. The night before L went for her Organ Donation surgery, Hailey made sure her husband was able to sleep next to L one last time. The day of surgery, Hailey came in to be a part of the Honor Walk and went with him to the Heli pad as his support person. She sent a letter to L with OPO to be read in the operating room before surgery. I have included this amazing letter with this nomination. After L and her family were no longer in our care, Hailey continued to care for them by organizing a collection to support them with funeral and medical expenses.
Hi L, "I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results."
These words by Florence Nightingale describe how a truly caring and loving nurse goes above and beyond tending to the basic needs of patients.
Hailey Gallert is the epitome of what a compassionate nurse is, which she demonstrated through the care of L and her family. L was admitted to 2E ICU, and intubated after she had an emergency C-section and seizures from eclampsia. Unfortunately, M, L's baby girl was stillborn and had to stay at the outlying hospital at the time of transfer. Staff at St. Mary's worked hard to get the baby transported here so L could have time with her. L was not responsive and was on the ventilator during the early days of her stay.
This did not stop Hailey from making sure M spent as much time with L as possible. Hailey worked with Birth Suites to have M in the room throughout her shift, helping position L so she was able to hold M and so other family members could bond as well. L's husband was at her bedside nearly 24/7, and Hailey made sure to always keep him updated and able to be near L and M. Hailey would take special care while bathing L to make sure she looked her best for all of her visitors. She would brush and braid her hair every night. While giving L her bath, Hailey would talk with the husband, providing support and encouragement through this challenging time.
Once he was ready for M to go to the funeral home, Hailey made sure to keep M's baby blanket on L's bed, so she had a piece of her close by. L eventually needed to be placed on continuous dialysis, requiring 1:1 care around the clock. Hailey took extra time to be there for her husband as he struggled with losing his baby girl, and his wife was in critical condition. She would talk with him for hours, getting to know him and creating a bond. Hailey would place a recliner next to L's bed for him and would maneuver around him to allow them to have time together. L never woke, and her brain injury progressed to brain death.
L wanted to be an Organ Donor, and he fully supported her wishes. Throughout the process of preparing L for donation, Hailey continued to support him and the rest of L's family. She created keepsakes for them to have to remember L in the future, including crocheting her a blanket in her favorite colors. Hailey even picked up extra shifts due to short staffing to make sure L would receive the best care possible. The night before L went for her Organ Donation surgery, Hailey made sure her husband was able to sleep next to L one last time. The day of surgery, Hailey came in to be a part of the Honor Walk and went with him to the Heli pad as his support person. She sent a letter to L with OPO to be read in the operating room before surgery. I have included this amazing letter with this nomination. After L and her family were no longer in our care, Hailey continued to care for them by organizing a collection to support them with funeral and medical expenses.
It’s Hailey, your nurse. I know we have never met before, and due to the cards dealt out, we never had the pleasure of formally getting to know each other. But since day one, I had this feeling that we would have been great friends given the chance. I was blessed with the opportunity to learn who you are through your family, friends, and your husband. I pictured you being the kindest soul, carrying around a heart of gold with a mix of badass. The bond I felt with you has been greater than any other nurse-patient relationship I’ve ever had. So, because I’m grieving you and your little girl, I need to tell you some things.
First off, congratulations on being a mommy to an absolutely perfect, beautiful baby girl, M. She looks so much like you! I’m so sorry little M didn’t get to experience life on earth, and part of me feels that if she did survive, you would have too. I do find some peace knowing you both are together, and I can picture you holding her in your arms right now.
I need you to know I fought my hardest right there alongside you. I even picked up multiple shifts just so I could keep being your nurse. I guess I was being selfish, not letting anyone else get to be with you, but I was committed to fighting this with you, and I wasn’t going to stop till you got better. For ten days, I was at your bedside physically, and the other few days, I was at home praying for the recovery everyone wanted you to have. I fought like you were my best friend, and I made sure you received the highest quality care possible. I spent hours, and I mean hours, on your hair between the dried blood and EEG glue plastered to your scalp. I couldn’t let those beautiful locks of yours look as they did. It was therapeutic for me…to clean your hair and braid it every day. I like to think you heard me cheering for you at every slight progression you made, every little command I thought you followed, and every muscle you moved. That one night, though… a couple of hours before the end of my shift, you had me the most troubled. Your ICP’s were climbing, and your EVDs weren’t draining. We did what we could, and I had to leave you knowing the only thing I could hold on to was hope. It was the hope I felt when you gave me that thumbs up before I left. Little did I think that evening, as I was in the middle of making you a blanket, that I would receive word that you had herniated.
Man, was I not expecting that! It felt like getting punched in the stomach. And then here comes the what-ifs. Did I do something wrong? Could I have done something different? Is this my fault? Did I miss something? That internal fight with ourselves, we all experience as healthcare workers. But I knew I couldn’t give up or shut down because I still had someone to help while we were keeping your organs alive. Your husband. When he wasn’t eating, I got him to eat. When his anger got the best of him, I helped calm him down or helped mediate family situations that were upsetting to him. We talked about trucks, motorcycles, and you! I had him bring his rock-climbing RC builds in, and he was driving them around in your room, showing me what they could do. I think it helped me, too. Each night, the distraction was needed as we were preparing you for organ donation.
I felt like I needed to be with you till the end, so I came in on my day off to help get you ready for your honor walk. I did end up finishing that blanket I started making for you, and it was laid on you for your transport to Meriter. I also had the honor of standing with your family up by the helipad as we watched you take off to the skies.
L, I’m so sorry the way things have turned out. I want to believe you decided this outcome so you can continue to be with M and relieve your husband from making one of the hardest decisions he may ever have to make.
You will live on in the lives that you so graciously donated to. Your right kidney went to Virginia, and your left kidney went to Minnesota. Your liver is in Michigan. Your lungs went to Minnesota, and your heart now resides in Kentucky. What a true hero. God bless your soul, girl! I will remember you forever. And I have no doubt I will cross paths with you and M again. Until we meet again, L!
Love, your Nurse, Hailey
Hailey is the true embodiment of a loving and caring nurse. She gives all of herself for not only her patients, but also their families. We can all learn so much from her. It is an honor for us all to work alongside her and to see firsthand the impact of her selfless care.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28