My mother-in-law was originally sent to the UTMB Clear Lake campus but they sent us to Galveston for more specialized care. When we learned how dire her situation was we had been concerned, but seeing nurses like Shannon work on her helped us be set at ease. My MIL had come to the hospital paralyzed from her shoulders down, Shannon helped maintain her spirits high and gave her strength to try to get better quicker. She hasn’t yet left the hospital but she’s now able to move her body a little. Shannon helped ease my MIL's worries and fear of being in the ICU and from the treatments they did on her.

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As a former patient, I would like to nominate Shannon Coursen for a DAISY Award for exemplary nursing at the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston and Ambulatory Care (Neurosciences Critical Care Unit (JEN 8A)). My interaction with Shannon Coursen happened during my recent trans nasal transsphenoidal pituitary mass resection surgery. My entire team deserves my utmost gratitude and professional respect for their exemplary professionalism and utmost dedication to patient care.  However, for the purposes of this nomination, I want to identify one nurse in particular which, in my opinion, went above and beyond with care, compassion, and critical analysis of my situation. Nurse Shannon Coursen attended to me during my weeklong stay.  

One day, I reacted horribly to a plan of care after my surgery involving my medications.  She reacted quickly when I went down and attended to me to ensure I recovered from whatever was causing my reaction.  My wife, who is also an ICU nurse, told me how Nurse Shannon took charge of the situation and navigated me throughout treatments and imaging processes to help figure out what was happening to me.  I am reporting my spouse’s words as I have absolutely no recollection of this day.  At UTMB, we have always experienced a high level of professionalism and skill levels, but Nurse Coursen was my lifeline on this day.  This alone would have garnered this nomination, but the next morning will always stay steadfast in my memory.  

Upon reporting in for her shift, Nurse Shannon stopped by my room and started her conversation with the words…” I have thought about the situation all night and think I know what is happening to R.” Not only did she take care of me when she was on duty, but she strove to find an answer to my situation after clocking out!  And rushed in the next morning to share her thoughts!  I know that there has to be a work/home balance in work, but this dedication to me and my family will always stay with us.  By the way, she was correct but did not know that my medical team had also figured it out throughout the night.

Although this is an award nomination for Shannon, and it could be a stand-alone nomination for her, as her compassion and knowledge far surpassed any hopes we would have wanted from a healthcare professional, we also want to acknowledge the entire staff attending to my care in the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit and the surgical teams that ensured that I am here today to make this nomination.  I am forever in their debt, especially Nurse Shannon Coursen, who exemplifies the highest level of nursing care I could hope to benefit from in my lifetime.  I hereby reiterate my nomination of Nurse Shannon Coursen with the greatest of enthusiasm to receive the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.