Katja is one of those nurses that always goes above and beyond for her patients and their families. This past week I saw a great example of Katja's constant caring and enthusiasm for making sure that her patients and families are cared for in every way in which they can be cared for.
Katja's patient was a young gentleman in his 30s who was at the end of his life. He was on the ventilator and unresponsive. The family was planning to take the patient off the ventilator and transition to comfort care the day that Katja was his nurse. They had asked if the unit had any way for them to memorialize the patient's handprints for his two small children. Katja called on every possible resource to find a way to make this happen. She made at least half a dozen phone calls to different care areas to track down finger paint or clay for molding. Katja ended up spending her lunch break at the hardware store obtaining supplies for the family to press the patient's handprints onto colorful paper. The patient died peacefully after being removed from the ventilator that afternoon. Katja took her time to assist the family during the extremely difficult moments that day and in doing so provided them with peace of mind during the patient's last hours of life.
Although this is a very specific story of Katja's diligent care, it is not a unique or rare occasion. I am always impressed with her attention to detail and calming demeanor. She is a true DAISY Nurse.