I am writing today to nominate Paul Elion for the DAISY Award. I am a 68-year-old woman who had fairly complex gynecological surgery. After my surgery, I was taken to Paul's unit to recover. My understanding is that the unit is primarily an orthopedic floor, so I can only imagine what Paul thought when he received me as his assignment that day, but the care he showed me that evening and the following day was very impressive. I thought surely gyn post-op surgical nursing must be his specialty. I remember being very drowsy, and Paul greeted me with a big smile. He worked tirelessly to make me comfortable, using lots of pillows to position me. He explained my pain med options with pros and cons of each, delivered them promptly, then checked back soon after to make sure they were working. He checked on me so often I thought I was his only patient that night, but I came to find out from a nursing aide that he also had other complex patients that evening.

He was also supportive of my husband, who, although he was in the medical field himself, had many questions and concerns. Paul was upbeat and positive, and his sense of humor really helped what could have been a very difficult evening. When Paul left for the night, he made sure I had everything I needed, explained who would be caring for me, and how I could contact them. The following day, Paul was on duty again. He had to perform procedures using sterile technique and did so with great skill and professionalism. He had me up and walking way before I thought I could move again, while being encouraging and supportive. I was particularly impressed with the small things Paul did.

For example, when I complained about nausea, he gave me a small lavender aromatherapy-smelling salt. He was so enthusiastic about it, and it made such a big difference. Paul's discharge planning was thorough, easy to understand, and he gave me many supplies to get me through my first few days at home. I also noticed him interacting with 2 nursing aides working on the unit who were current nursing students. He was very kind to them and gave them clear instructions as to how they could best help me. I realize that Paul only cared for me for 2 days, but the level of care he provided was extraordinary.

I am a retired nurse and have worked in a variety of hospital settings throughout my career. I know first-hand the stress that a staff nurse is under on a minute-to-minute basis, and that makes the compassion and excellent care that Paul extended to me even more impressive. As part of my career, I was also a nursing instructor. I taught my students many things, from pain management to communication skills to sterile techniques to discharge planning. I set very high standards for my students. I would have been extraordinarily proud if Paul had been one of those students. I consider myself very lucky to have had him as my nurse.