March 2024
Dillon
Opp
,
BSN, RN
Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit
Cox Medical Centers - Springfield
Springfield
,
MO
United States
Dillon may be a newer nurse, but I believe his compassion and desire to care for others are just a part of who he is as a person. You can't learn that from textbooks; it has to be ingrained in your heart.
I would like to nominate our nurse we had the first two days that my mom was in NTICU. I am the only person in my family with a medical background. My mom was admitted for pulmonary edema and pneumonia. Prior to admission, my siblings and I were with her at her home. Her spO2 was in the 40's and we made the decision to call EMS. She was emergently intubated en route to the hospital. Needless to say, my family was incredibly scared and anxious. As an ICU nurse, I've seen patients just like my mom have poor outcomes. Dillon was assigned as our nurse in NTICU for the first two days and explained everything to my family so thoroughly. He was understanding and compassionate towards all of them and it relieved me of having to have those hard conversations with my family and allowed me to just be there for them and my mom. He sat at the bedside with us when the nurse practitioner explained all the aspects of her care, and he made sure after the NP left that everyone understood and didn't have any questions. He went above and beyond the typical bedside nurse by not only providing compassionate care for my mom but also making sure my family had everything they needed, such as always asking if we needed food or drinks. He knew I was not eating so he went and bought me soup to make sure I was also taking care of myself. After he was done being my mom's nurse, he continued to check on my mom and family. Dillon may be a newer nurse, but I believe his compassion and desire to care for others are just a part of who he is as a person. You can't learn that from textbooks; it has to be ingrained in your heart. He deserves all the recognition for being able to handle a difficult situation, communicating with my family in a way that made them understand and feel less anxious. CoxHealth's vision is "to be the best for those who need us," and Dillon was everything my family needed in an incredibly scary situation. Great job, Dillon, you are a true DAISY Nurse.