Joanne Foy exemplifies the epitome of caring professional nursing. In her daily interactions with patients and their families she is kind, a good listener, supportive and a fierce advocate. She tirelessly collaborates with the various disciplines and services to seek and obtain the exact care and services the patient needs. A model for clinical assessment and critical thinking, she is often assigned new staff for orientation. I have witnessed her repeatedly demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills in what have been very tense and critical encounters in the Intensive Care Unit.
One particular patient and family interaction was especially poignant. Joanne was caring for a critically ill young woman with a very large and supportive family. The patient had been diagnosed with terminal illness within the last few months and the family was still in the early stages of processing the gravity of the situation. Their loved one had taken an abrupt turn for the worse and was in ICU fighting for her life. Joanne mobilized multiple resources to participate in the patient's care and coordinated and directed the additional staff providing care to prepare the patient for an urgent procedure, receive blood, and attempt to stabilize hemodynamics. In the midst of this intensive activity, she would repeatedly stop, place her hand lightly on the husband's shoulder and explain what was happening and why. The patient was surrounded by family praying over her and supporting each other—and Joanne cared for that family unit with as much kindness and professionalism as the patient. The patient's daughter was very close to her delivery date and I watched Joanne get her a chair to sit near her mother's head, juice and fluids and encouragement of the need to care for herself through the situation.
As the situation continued to decline, the family unit was forced with the very real fact they were going to lose their beloved wife, mother, and sister. As the family made the decision to stop the many heroic interventions and focus on their loved one's comfort, Joanne was right there with them, tears running down her face as she assured them their loved one would not be in pain. The trust the family had in Joanne is what gave them the strength to say good-bye to their beloved family member. Joanne quickly procured the appropriate medication and began delivery, all the while the family wept, prayed and sang over their loved one as she passed. There wasn't a dry eye in the Intensive Care Unit as this precious poignant good bye happened. As the family said their goodbyes to the ICU staff, there was much hugging and many tears, but especially for their champion, their advocate, their nurse, this nominee.