Amanda Padilla
October 2021
Amanda
Padilla
,
RN
Trauma | Ortho | Plastics | Burns
Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas
Austin
,
TX
United States
The first time I heard this patient say a word other than his name was when Amanda asked him what his favorite music to dance to was.
Amanda is absolutely a DAISY Nurse based on her care for a long-time patient on our unit. This patient was admitted with both burns and a brain injury which resulted in him not being able to speak. The first time I heard this patient say a word other than his name was when Amanda asked him what his favorite music to dance to was. Not long after that, both he and Amanda were singing their hearts out, jamming to his favorite Vicente Fernandez songs. Although moments, when he speaks full sentences, are brief, you can always count on Amanda and him to have midnight karaoke sessions when he cannot sleep, which ironically put him to sleep right after. One night, while I was taking care of this patient, I noticed he was not his normal cheery self. He was sad and tired. After mentioning this in passing to Amanda, she did not hesitate to check on him. Within 5 minutes of speaking to her, he was laughing and cheery again. Amanda also advocated for him when she noticed a change in medical status. She did not stop until something was done. Sure enough, her gut feeling was right, and the patient received treatment.