PLATTSBURGH — When Alexandria Stefaniak carried her four-year-old son into the Emergency Department at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, fear filled the air. Her little boy, who is autistic, had always been afraid of hospitals. Stefaniak expected tears, panic and heartbreak.
Instead, a group of nurses transformed that moment of fear into one of courage and comfort. Stefaniak said Katie Totten, RN, and Hailey McLaughlin, RN, went above and beyond for her child, giving him hope and his family peace. She remembered them speaking gently to him, explaining every step and making sure he felt safe. Stefaniak said they felt like family.
“They went above and beyond words can even express,” Stefaniak wrote in her nomination of the nurses for the DAISY Team Award at the hospital.
“They made him feel comfortable and gave him the best experience. This resulted in him not being afraid of the hospital anymore. He was the bravest boy I have ever seen him be.”
Totten and McLaughlin weren’t alone. Lysandra Barney, RN, and Courtney Coon, RN, played an equally vital role: They purchased Hot Wheels cars to turn anxiety into curiosity.
“Courtney and Lysandra showed remarkable compassion by using simple objects to spark curiosity and comfort. Their creativity helped a young patient shift his focus from fear to fun, building trust in a moment that mattered most,” Michael Wells, BSN, RN, nurse manager in the Emergency Department, said.
Stefaniak called the experience “life-changing” for a child who had always dreaded medical visits. The mother noticed the nurses didn’t rush, watching them connect, laugh and celebrate his bravery.
“It not only meant the world to him, but for both of us as parents as well,” Stefaniak said.
She said by the time they left, her son was calm and proud. He faced his fears and came out stronger, thanks to four nurses who understood that care is about more than medicine, she added.
Stefaniak believes her son will remember these nurses for a long time, and so will she.
“I am so grateful for them,” she wrote. “They made a difference for my son, and for me.”
The nurses were presented with the DAISY Team Award during a surprise ceremony. During the award presentation, they received a certificate commending them as extraordinary nurses. They, like all honorees, also received a DAISY Award pin.
CVPH launched the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in 2018 to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and online at UVMHealth.org. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. A committee reviews nominations and awards a deserving nurse each quarter.
The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families. The DAISY Foundation is a national nonprofit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Barnes died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a little known, but not uncommon, auto-immune disease. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this way to thank nurses for making a difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
More information is available at DAISYfoundation.org.