Part of my duties with the Piedmont Heartburn Treatment Center is to round pre-op and post op on patients having a Lap Nissens and Heller Myotomies. During a pre-op visit with one of these patients and his wife, OR nurse Janet Bradley came into the pre-op room and introduced herself as being the OR nurse that would be caring for him. The patient, Mr. S, commented on Janet's cross necklace about how beautiful it was. During their conversation, he asked Janet if she was a Christian and she stated yes. He smiled and stated that made him feel better to know she would be one of the nurses on the team taking care of him and he would not be as nervous. Immediately Janet offered to pray for him, he smiled and accepted Janet's offer. After the beautiful prayer, he thanked Janet and told her that the prayer was so beautiful that it brought tears to his eyes (he was wiping his eyes). He stated though he had be through many, many surgeries that he still gets nervous and Janet's extra effort to calm his fears and ease his mind was something he had never experienced!

During that same week of Mr. Smith's surgery, another patient, Mr. L, had a Lap Nissen. During his post-surgical course he developed some complications that required a second surgical procedure. After he was discharged, I completed a follow up call to see how he was doing. While we were discussing his hospital stay and events, he began discussing his second surgical procedure. He had been in much discomfort and was experiencing difficulty in breathing just before the second procedure. According to Mr. L, those symptoms combined with fear had him in a near state of panic. Then Janet came to see him while he was waiting. He recalled how she spoke to him explaining what was about to take place and asking him how he was doing. This is when he stated he explained just how scared he was. Janet held his hand and promised "we" were going to take great care of him. By this time Anesthesia had come into the room to see Mr. L and surgery was minutes away. Then Janet did something that gave Mr. L comfort and peace according to him, she asked him if she could pray for him. Mr. L accepted the offer and again Janet said a beautiful prayer that, according to the patient, gave him peace, comfort and security and such a memorable experience that he speaks of every time I talk to him!

Regardless of the deity, faith is a strong item that gives most people peace, comfort and support in trying, stressful, critical situations. Being sick, having surgery, being in the hospital would count as one of those situations for most. It is also a topic of political controversy to the point many are hesitant to acknowledge faith in any fashion. THANK YOU Janet for bravely stepping into those sensitive boundaries to give our patients what they needed in their time of great need! You ROCK and truly fit the definition of a DAISY Nurse!

Nominated by a totally grateful and inspired coworker.