Kate Toto IV nurse extraordinaire knew our 19-year-old son last year when he was in-patient on Ellison 18 for three months. Our son presents with a rare chromosome disorder and carries a diagnosis of Autism Intellectual Impairment and Epilepsy. We had already established a very warm relationship and bond over the course of the multiple IVs she had to repeatedly place as our son blew through them during that admission. Ultimately, a PICC line was required which caused a DVT and further prolonged our son’s admission. That was last year.

This year’s 6-week hospitalization was different in diagnosis and treatment but it was the same Kate Toto who placed the majority of his IVs. She shook her head in compassion as she informed us of the toll they were taking on his veins. With deep knowledge of her specialty and four spoken words, Kate Toto solved a problem that eluded the dozens of doctors and nurses involved in our son’s care. She became his guardian angel. The problem started when a team member suggested a central line or an IV be in place while we slowly adjusted our son’s medications. The IVs did not last more than a day and knowledge of the PICC line DVT during his first hospitalization made us dread the possibility of another PICC. We rejected this intervention but were caught between a rock and a hard place. We pondered our situation and discussed it with the seemingly endless stream of doctors, nurses, and other professionals who came to the room. Nobody had an alternative solution. Kate, who had heard about our dilemma, came to visit us. “What about a midline?” she asked, finding a perfect solution to the problem, and paving a way to move forward with our son’s treatment. Her solution allowed him to avoid the trauma of a PICC line placement as well as its likely consequences. She herself placed the midline and gave me a hug. For that we celebrate Kate as a DAISY Nurse. She found the answer when no one else could.