June 2013
Nakesha
McCollins
,
RN BSN
8 Thomas Pulmonary
Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare : Methodist University Hospital
Memphis
,
TN
United States

 

 

 

This patient is a cancer patient and has 2-3 months to live. We are telling his story. Because he has no appetite due to his treatment of HIV medications-he has no appetite to eat even the smallest morsels of food. When offered food, he just looks at it and the thought of it makes him nauseated and sick. Nakesha McCollins RN spent time with him and got to know him as a "person." She asked him what he liked at home. She found out what "special" food he had a "taste" for at home. Over a three day period when she was assigned to him-she learned that he only had a taste for "hot wings" -or the sauce. She learned after spending time with him that he liked "coca cola" beverages. She took it upon herself to personally buy and bring him items like "Coca Cola" from the hospital drink machines, gift shop or cafeteria.

Many days he would eat nothing -nothing appealed to him off of his "tray" regardless of who prepared it. Many days the only fluid/food he would take was the drink that Nakesha brought him that were within the doctors ordered diet the doctor was even discouraged because the patient would not eat anything and refused food.

Nakesha McCollins went above and beyond because she cared and was concerned about a young man with cancer. Many people would have just given the medication and moved on, but Nakesha took time to not only give competent and compassionate care, she went above and beyond to extend the core Methodist values to a terminal patient as well as demonstrate the foundational values of the DAISY Award.

Because of her skill, compassion, and going above and beyond, we nominate her for the DAISY Award at Methodist University. She would just say it is my job she would never want to "brag" or tell you this story and it is people like this who are quiet and need open recognition and praise to repay their silent yet powerful actions or words.