December 2022
Doris
Hamm
,
RN
PRE/AM Admission
Benefis Health System
Great Falls
,
MT
United States
I was very nervous about the surgery. Doris helped me to calm down with her thoughtful words and gentle touch.
Poet Maya Angelou said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The way Doris Hamm, RN, cares for her patients is a perfect embodiment of that quote. A patient nominated Doris for the DAISY Award because of how special she made her feel during the stress of surgery. She wrote: Doris was my nurse in Pre-Surgical Services when I came in to have a total knee replacement. I was very nervous about the surgery. Doris helped me to calm down with her thoughtful words and gentle touch. I felt like I was the only one Doris was concerned about while I was under her care. I was made to feel very special, and it was an experience I will never forget. She also cared for me after my surgery. Again, I felt very special. She called me a "rock star" because I was doing so good. When it was time for me to go home, she took me out to the car and gave me and my husband a hug and well wishes. Truth be told, Doris was the one who is a "rock star." Doris is this quarter's Benefis DAISY Award winner, recipient of an award given to outstanding nurses around the world. Co-workers praised Doris for her thoughtful nature, in and out of work, and said the world could use more Dorises. She is generous with her time and gifts to several nonprofits, particularly supporting veterans and animals in need. Doris has been a nurse for 33 years, all of them with Benefis (starting with Columbus Hospital). She's been in orthopedics most of that and is fascinated by anatomy and physiology. She is a member of the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses and loves taking what she learns through this professional organization and sharing it with her co-workers. Education is a priority for her -- educating patients on their procedures and how to maximize recovery, sharing knowledge and enthusiasm with her colleagues, and helping nurse residents launch their careers. "It's important to teach the rational, why we do what we do," she said. "I like finding out from start to finish how something works, and I want to make sure everyone onboard knows what it's all about and how interesting it is." Doris loves to share her enthusiasm for orthopedics and advises young nurses to stick with the profession. "Everyone is going to have those hard days," she said. "Rely on your co-workers. It's them, too, not just you. I couldn't have done what I've done without my team, and I'm so humbled by this recognition." While Doris is the first nurse in her family, her children have followed her into medicine. Her daughter is a pharmacist, and her son is a resident working toward becoming a family medicine doctor. She and her husband also have two pugs. She loves baking, cooking, camping, traveling, and looking for good deals for the charities she supports.