Memorial Announces Vanessa Brooks, RN July DAISY Foundation Award Winner

Congratulations to Vanessa Brooks, RN of 2 North Rehab! She was nominated by a patient who was under her care during her stay at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital. The patient described Vanessa as a kind, patient, and a good listener.

From the patient:

No words to describe Vanessa! She was my night nurse for several nights here in rehab. Every night she came into my room she greeted me with a smile that immediately helped ease some of my anxiety about the long night ahead. She always greeted me warmly with “Mr. R, how are you? What can I do for you tonight? Do you need anything now?” I might add that my anti-depression and antianxiety meds had been reduced quite a bit and I was having trouble coping with my normal anxiety, plus my recent diagnosis of a terminal lung condition and the chronic pain that I have experienced for the past 40 years! The two months plus in the hospital were taking their toll and I am so thankful Vanessa was there for me, especially at night when it was quiet and I was alone. Vanessa listened to my lungs routinely. She also told me the name of each med as she gave them to me. When I was struggling to get my words out to speak, she never rushed me, always listened, and told me to take my time. Lake Charles Memorial is lucky to have such a dedicated nurse. She was a tremendous blessing to me! Kudos to Vanessa!

About DAISY

In late 1999, at the age of 33, Patrick Barnes awoke with some blood blisters in his mouth. Having survived Hodgkins Disease twice, he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura).

Said his father, Mark Barnes, "We are so blessed that we were able to spend the eight weeks of his hospitalization with him and his family. During those weeks, we experienced the best of Nursing. We were there to see the clinical skill that dealt with his very complex medical situation, the fast thinking of nurses who saved his life more than once, and that nursing excellence that took years to hone to the best of the profession. But frankly, as a patient family, we rather expected that Pat would have great clinical care. That was why he was in the hospital. What we did not expect was the way his nurses delivered that care - the kindness and compassion they gave Pat and all of us in his family every day. We were awed by the way the nurses touched him and spoke with him, even when he was on a ventilator and totally sedated. The way they informed and educated us eased our minds. They truly helped us through the darkest hours of our lives, with soft voices of hope and strong loving hugs that to this day, we still feel."

Just days after he died, the family began talking about what they would do to help fill the giant hole in their hearts that Pat’s passing had left. His wife came up with the acronym, DAISY, standing for diseases attacking the immune system. As they discussed what to do in Patrick’s memory, first and foremost, they wanted to say Thank You for the gifts nurses give their patients and families every day. That is when the family created The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses