For the past several years this exceptional nurse has specialized in Inpatient Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Children's Transplant care on both 8West and 7-3. I have had the true pleasure of collaborating with Morgan Dudley as a child life specialist on 8West where I have watched her navigate her role with ease and grace in what can be a very stressful medical setting. Despite challenging cases, she always goes above and beyond to anticipate the unique needs of each patient and their family helping to advocate for well rounded patient and family centered care. She is supportive of both her patients and their families as well as her colleagues and fellow nurses, never making them feel as though she is too busy to help. She has the amazing ability to remain calm and soothing in the most stressful of times for both YNHCH staff and patient families.

I have witnessed this pediatric nurse form strong bonds with patients of all ages and diverse backgrounds, her calm but confident presence has a way of making patients feel at home in an unfamiliar setting. Morgan is able to employ humor and sarcasm to build positive relationships with teen patients with as much ease as she provides nurturing care to young patients who do not have frequent family support.

Morgan has provided exceptional care to a recent Bone Marrow Transplant patient who has a history of both sickle cell and a stroke prior to undergoing her transplant. The young patient is originally from Nigeria and struggled with navigating a new culture as well the hospital setting. Morgan formed a special bond with the patient, taking the time to get to know her and what worked best for her to help her feel safe and comfortable in the hospital environment. As a child life specialist it was wonderful to see the patient light up when this nurse came into her room. It was evident that the patient felt supported by this nurse and as though she was someone she could open up with. Though the patient regressed a lot behaviorally throughout her admission, Morgan never grew frustrated but instead got more creative in her approach to providing care. She would find ways to be silly and goofy with the patient helping the patient to be independent while providing exceptional medical care.

The nature of a long-term admission for any bone marrow or solid organ transplant presents many challenging moments. Morgan continually seeks to think outside the box and take a unique approach to efficiently facilitating care. She has made a significant difference in the lives of many patients and families navigating the trials of both transplant and palliative care. In these extremely difficult times, this nurse is often witnessed taking the time to talk and debrief with a teen patient at bedside or dispelling the concerns of a worried caregiver. She is ever patient and generous with her time while being an excellent advocate for those she is providing nursing care. It is with this skill that she makes these families feel safe and at home when they must be away from everything they know and love.

Throughout my four years as a child life specialist at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital, I have had the pleasure of collaborating with many skilled and compassionate Pediatric Nurses. Morgan Dudley goes above and beyond in every aspect of her role as a Pediatric Transplant Nurse. I have watched her navigate extremely stressful situations without ever appearing overwhelmed or flustered. She is respected by her peers as someone to from which to learn, not only displaying great skill but always willing to share her knowledge and help wherever she can. She utilizes all of her resources efficiently and incorporates all ancillary services to ensure her patients and families are being supported in every possible way. Morgan is an excellent communicator, not only with members of the medical team but with patients and caregivers. It is because of this skill that she able to easily build such strong relationships and be a successful teacher to both her peers and caregivers learning to provide medical care for their children. I am always so impressed by Morgan's ability to anticipate and advocate for the unique needs of patients and families while staying focused on the medical task at hand. She would be a humble and well deserving recipient of this year's DAISY Award.