My husband and I rushed our severely handicap, adult son A to the Daytona Halifax Health Emergency Department. Our son is nonverbal and wheelchair bound. He was screaming at the top of his lungs. There are no means available to us to determine the cause. After moving to the 4th floor, Nurse Shannon Franco immediately took control. She confidently assessed the situation and gave a voice to our situation, "My priority is to de-escalate the situation", as our son was still screaming. She conducted a thorough visual observation from head to toe while speaking directly to our son as if he was understanding every word. My fears lessoned just listening to her calm and compassionate manner. She even commented what beautiful skin he had. She was so kind to our son and maintained a professional demeanor. I felt, at last, I could breathe. After establishing a strong sense of trust, Nurse Franco reassured our son and me. A remained in the room for several days and Nurse Franco was his AM nurse. With her at his side, I felt secure in her abilities and knew A was receiving incredible care. She never wavered in her interest or attention to detail toward A and all he was experiencing. Nurse Franco was so gentle and did what was needed to be done, A showed no signs of fear-even during this traumatic and unfamiliar time.
My husband and I, as parents and caregivers for A for over 33 years, have never felt so reassured and impressed as with Nurse Franco. She even made sure everything was situated with the PM nurse, staying beyond her scheduled time. We cannot express enough our gratitude and continue to sing her praises to all who will listen. She is a true asset to Halifax Health. Nurse Franco went above and beyond not only to provide exceptional medical care but also ensured my husband and I were emotionally supported during this challenging time. Nurse Franco is a true DAISY Nurse.