Tim Oursler
April 2022
Tim
Oursler
,
BSN, RN
Transplant ICU
Froedtert Hospital
Milwaukee
,
WI
United States

 

 

 

M grabbed his hand and motioned him down. M has a trach and cannot speak. He held tight to Tim’s hand and motioned him down again. Tim asked, “Do you want me to sit with you?” M nodded yes.
I would like to nominate Tim for a DAISY award for his exceptional and compassionate care of my husband. When I got to the hospital that morning, Tim informed me right away that M was experiencing low blood pressure, which in turn was causing low body temperature. He was closely monitoring the situation. I could see the concern on his face. All morning he conferred with the doctors and kept adjusting M’s medication and doing everything he could to keep M comfortable and at ease. Tim wasn’t just mechanically following care instructions. He engaged us with M’s care by telling us what he was doing, why he was making the adjustment, and what he hoped it would accomplish. I had a lot of questions which Tim graciously answered. Tim’s care and compassion were especially evident in midafternoon while he was by M’s bedside. M grabbed his hand and motioned him down. M has a trach and cannot speak. He held tight to Tim’s hand and motioned him down again. Tim asked, “Do you want me to sit with you?” M nodded yes. He sat awhile holding M’s hand and watching his face contorted with pain. Tim had been instructed to withhold the pain medication until the doctors could get there. Almost an hour passed and still no doctors. Tim got up and said, “I’m going to get you that pain medication”. That, of course, messed with his low blood pressure, which Tim knew it would, but he also know just what to do. He was able to get M stabilized, however by late afternoon, M’s blood pressure got dangerously low. Tim made an urgent call for doctors. They came at once. It was decided that M needed a CT scan. Tim quickly got everything ready to go. The CT scan showed M had a bleed in his pancreas, which caused the low blood pressure. Tim stayed with M through the whole process. By the time they got back from the scan, it was half hour past Tim’s shift. But, Tim was in no hurry to leave. He stayed and made sure everything was back in place and M was being cared for well. By the time he left, M’s blood pressure and body temperature were back to normal. Tim’s knowledge and skills he used that day kept M alive. The kindness and compassion Tim showed to M and me were exemplary. Tim deserves the DAISY Award and my heartfelt thanks for his wonderful and phenomenal care.