July 2014
Therese
Shafer
,
RN, BSN
Nursing Administration
Aurora Sinai Medical Center
Milwaukee
,
WI
United States
For the care and compassion that she showed me as well as many other patients and their families, I nominate Therese Shafer, RN as a deserving recipient of The DAISY Award. Therese is a House Supervisor at Aurora Sinai Medical Center.
It was approximately 3:30 in the morning and I was alone in the ED waiting area, terribly surprised and upset having received some difficult news regarding the condition of my mother. I had gotten a call from the nursing home earlier that morning that Mom needed to go to the hospital. She had Parkinson's disease for almost 20 years and her body was shutting down quickly.
I know Therese, having worked with her for almost four years. I read and hear daily about the types of difficult and demanding issues she confronts in all areas of the hospital. I also hear about how professionally she approaches these situations and works to find positive outcomes for each. She cares and advocates not only for our patients and their families, but our caregivers as well. As Chief Clinical Services Officer I often get involved when a House Supervisor asks me for guidance or help in providing care; little did I know that one day I would be on the receiving side of her care.
Therese noticed me standing alone, crying, in the waiting area and came to check in on me and asked me why I was here. I told her about my mom; Therese was aware of my mother's struggle with Parkinson's as we had talked about her before. Therese patiently listened to my sobbing and concerns and even answered a question or two. She comforted me by speaking well of the caregivers working this morning and reassured me that they would take good care of my mother.
Therese asked if there was anything that I needed or if there was anything the she could do to help. And then, she asked if she could give me a hug before leaving. She told me that I was in good hands, but that if I needed anything, I should call her. Therese showed such care, compassion and respect for me and the ED caregivers when I was alone and needed someone to talk to. It is hard to put into words how she made me feel so not alone and that all of the caregivers were working to take the best care of my mother.
After the team had finished with mom, they let me go back into her room to be with her. We were waiting for transportation to go back to the nursing home and there was a knock on the door. It was Therese. She stopped to check in on us and asked if she could meet my mother. She came to the bedside and I told her my mother's name, as she was not responsive at the time. Therese leaned over and gently rubbed my mother's arm and introduced herself and told her what she does at the hospital. Therese told my mother that she works with me and how much she enjoys that. She told my mother what a polite and caring man I am and that she knows how much I care for her. Therese told my mother that she hopes that her own children would grow up to be as kind and polite as I was. She told her that she was very happy that she got the chance to meet her.
Wow! I cannot adequately describe the impact this had on me and how special Therese made me feel as well as my mother. What mother isn't proud of her children and wants to know what a good job raising them she has done? What child doesn't appreciate knowing, especially at this difficult time, that they have a colleague and a friend close and hand? I have shared this story many, many times as an example of the kind, compassionate and loving care that my mother and I received during that difficult time and early morning to the emergency department.
I have gotten to know Therese over my years at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and know that this was not special treatment based on who I am or what I do. I read the house supervisor report daily and know that Therese works hard to ensure the best care for all of her patients and their families each and every shift. She works with her head, her hands and, so importantly, her heart. These perhaps simple acts of kindness made a lasting impression on my mother and me as she helped to ease the pain and suffering of the visit, knowing that mom was in her final stages.
Therese continued to check in on me over the next several days and still does even though my mother has now passed just over a month ago. It is hard to put into words how Therese lightened my burden that morning and continues to care for me as a colleague and friend.
It was approximately 3:30 in the morning and I was alone in the ED waiting area, terribly surprised and upset having received some difficult news regarding the condition of my mother. I had gotten a call from the nursing home earlier that morning that Mom needed to go to the hospital. She had Parkinson's disease for almost 20 years and her body was shutting down quickly.
I know Therese, having worked with her for almost four years. I read and hear daily about the types of difficult and demanding issues she confronts in all areas of the hospital. I also hear about how professionally she approaches these situations and works to find positive outcomes for each. She cares and advocates not only for our patients and their families, but our caregivers as well. As Chief Clinical Services Officer I often get involved when a House Supervisor asks me for guidance or help in providing care; little did I know that one day I would be on the receiving side of her care.
Therese noticed me standing alone, crying, in the waiting area and came to check in on me and asked me why I was here. I told her about my mom; Therese was aware of my mother's struggle with Parkinson's as we had talked about her before. Therese patiently listened to my sobbing and concerns and even answered a question or two. She comforted me by speaking well of the caregivers working this morning and reassured me that they would take good care of my mother.
Therese asked if there was anything that I needed or if there was anything the she could do to help. And then, she asked if she could give me a hug before leaving. She told me that I was in good hands, but that if I needed anything, I should call her. Therese showed such care, compassion and respect for me and the ED caregivers when I was alone and needed someone to talk to. It is hard to put into words how she made me feel so not alone and that all of the caregivers were working to take the best care of my mother.
After the team had finished with mom, they let me go back into her room to be with her. We were waiting for transportation to go back to the nursing home and there was a knock on the door. It was Therese. She stopped to check in on us and asked if she could meet my mother. She came to the bedside and I told her my mother's name, as she was not responsive at the time. Therese leaned over and gently rubbed my mother's arm and introduced herself and told her what she does at the hospital. Therese told my mother that she works with me and how much she enjoys that. She told my mother what a polite and caring man I am and that she knows how much I care for her. Therese told my mother that she hopes that her own children would grow up to be as kind and polite as I was. She told her that she was very happy that she got the chance to meet her.
Wow! I cannot adequately describe the impact this had on me and how special Therese made me feel as well as my mother. What mother isn't proud of her children and wants to know what a good job raising them she has done? What child doesn't appreciate knowing, especially at this difficult time, that they have a colleague and a friend close and hand? I have shared this story many, many times as an example of the kind, compassionate and loving care that my mother and I received during that difficult time and early morning to the emergency department.
I have gotten to know Therese over my years at Aurora Sinai Medical Center and know that this was not special treatment based on who I am or what I do. I read the house supervisor report daily and know that Therese works hard to ensure the best care for all of her patients and their families each and every shift. She works with her head, her hands and, so importantly, her heart. These perhaps simple acts of kindness made a lasting impression on my mother and me as she helped to ease the pain and suffering of the visit, knowing that mom was in her final stages.
Therese continued to check in on me over the next several days and still does even though my mother has now passed just over a month ago. It is hard to put into words how Therese lightened my burden that morning and continues to care for me as a colleague and friend.