It's not very often that a pediatric ICU nurse gets to recognize an adult ICU nurse. But recently Marcela Ruiz stepped out of her unit, her hospital, and her comfort zone to help provide solace to a grieving parent in the PICU. This parent was Spanish-speaking only and had just lost her son. M (the patient) had been with us in the PICU for months on and off ECMO, on and off CRRT, and basically fighting for his life since the day he arrived in our unit. From the beginning, mom had always been at the bedside. Communication had always been a barrier since she was strictly Spanish speaking, understood very little English, and had no family with her at the bedside to help with translation. We had used different methods of communication with her including the language line, in-person interpretation, and video remote interpretation during M's lengthy hospital course. She was very familiar and comfortable with the ways we communicated with her.

Early one morning that all changed. Unexpectedly, her son arrested and all communication was lost. During the code, we made multiple attempts to get an in-house interpreter but it was early on a Sunday morning and there weren't any interpreters on-call or in-house. Mom was hysterical and no attempts to use video interpretation were working. She was pacing in and out of the room, screaming and not wanting to hear what we had to say. We connected to the language line (on speaker) and tried to allow mom the freedom of moving in and out while being able to communicate with her but that wasn't working either. We needed personal communication and we didn't have it. This is the time when family communication is so important and we had exhausted all of our methods. Nothing was working to help explain, comfort or console this grieving mom. We were at a loss. We needed an in-house interpreter for face-to-face communication.

The HSC made an announcement over the loudspeaker in SJCH and ART for any Spanish-speaking staff to report to the PICU. One person showed up, Marcela Ruiz. Marcela alongside M's oncologist that weekend were able to calm mom down, stop her screaming, stop her from pacing in and out of the room, and sit down with her to explain what had happened to her son. Marcela stayed for over an hour comforting and consoling this mom with the help of the doctor. It wasn't until we had that face-to-face communication that mom finally began to hear us and what we were trying to say. It wasn't until that face-to-face communication that mom finally began to understand and listen.

As an ICU nurse of 17 years, I have never felt so helpless with a family during an end-of-life situation. I was so grateful for Marcela that day and I know M's mom was too. I was thankful she heard the overhead page and was able to leave her busy ICU assignment in ART to come to SJCH to help us. She didn't even know what she was walking into. She heard the call for help and didn't hesitate to come to our aid. The DAISY Award is meant to recognize nurses for their compassion towards patients and families. I cannot think of a more compassionate gesture and a more deserving nurse.