Even though Marisela just recently joined the 7AYA hem/onc team as a newly graduated RN, it is already very evident that she goes above and beyond for her patients. I would like to acknowledge a few instances that showcase why she more than deserves a DAISY Award. Marisela was recently the primary nurse for a relapsed leukemia patient who received heartbreaking news. I witnessed her checking on the patient multiple times and being there when various medical teams and/or family were present to help if needed. She reached out to teams promptly for any patient needs to ensure efficient & safe care as well. She did all of this while also caring for her other patients, helping her nursing colleagues, and overseeing nursing learners. Her exceptional care even led to the patient specifically asking for her by name on days she was off.

Another example is when she was the primary nurse for a newly diagnosed lymphoma patient who experienced neurotoxicity from one of the chemotherapy agents. She completed a thorough physical exam and appropriately contacted the medical teams and her charge nurse about her findings. Prior to shift change, she still felt strongly that the patient’s mentation was altered, and she followed up with the teams again. Her clinical thinking, along with her intuition, ensured that the patient received methylene blue, the antidote for ifosfamide-induced neurotoxicity, within hours of her initial evaluation. By the following day, the patient’s mentation returned to baseline. This high-level of critical thinking within the oncology field takes a while to develop; therefore, teams were extremely impressed with her prompt evaluation & follow up.

These are just a few of the many instances where Marisela epitomizes the qualities of an exceptional nurse – dedicated, compassionate, and selflessly committed to providing outstanding care to her patients. This was also a reminder for myself on the importance of empathy and humanizing patient care. She is a true asset to our healthcare teams, and I wholeheartedly believe that she is more than deserving of the DAISY Award.