We recently admitted a resident with pneumonia and congestive heart failure who was completing an oral antibiotic course. Shortly after admission, this nurse noticed that something wasn’t right. Even though the resident’s vitals weren’t yet alarming, she recognized subtle changes, slightly increased shortness of breath, a low-grade fever, crackles on auscultation, and swelling in both lower extremities. This nurse trusted her assessment, acted immediately, and advocated for the resident. She notified the provider, obtained STAT labs and a STAT chest x-ray, and the results confirmed acute congestive heart failure with lower lobe opacities.

Because of her rapid response and attention to detail, new treatment orders were initiated right away, including IV antibiotics and gentle diuresis. Her early intervention prevented this resident from being sent back to the hospital, which would have been physically and emotionally distressing for the resident and family. The resident recovered, continued therapy, and was eventually discharged home, stable, grateful, and feeling truly cared for. The resident even said, “She caught it before it got bad.” This nurse demonstrated the heart of nursing: vigilance, critical thinking, and true advocacy. She went above and beyond in protecting her resident and honoring their dignity, safety, and well-being. She is exactly the type of nurse the DAISY Award was meant to recognize.