DAISY Award

Karen S Brand, BSN, RN, DNP AC-PNP
Pediatric Palliative Care

Karen Brand is an extraordinaire nurse well deserving of a Daisy award for the warmth, love and caring she shows to all the patients, families and staff she encounters. On one particular occasion Karen showed wonderful compassion in her actions when caring for a 15 year old patient, who had attempted suicide and eventually transitioned to comfort care and died peacefully in the hospital.

This 15 year old boy, who was found by his 10 year old brother hanging pulseless by a bathrobe cord from his lower bunk revived but brought in with a GCS of 3 and hypoxic brain injury. Palliative care was asked to consult 3 days after admission. The patient had a complex family life. He was living with his father, stepmother and two siblings and had just moved into the area. His mother lived in Arkansas and was really struggling not being able to be with her son. Ultimately, the father had made the decision to make the patient comfort care. The mother of the child was against this option but did not have custody rights making for a challenging family dynamic that weighed heavily on the family and staff who were involved in the patients care.

Karen made a stressful time bearable and supported the patient, family and staff members feel less distress. When Karen visited the patient, she would always hold patient’s hand, and engaged with patient, letting him know the care he is receiving, and the support from his family. Karen empowered family to bring in things that patient loved, and play patient’s favorite music.

Karen was instrumental in providing education and support for family as patient started to decline. When patient was declining and family was struggling with feeding tube issues and whether to transition patient to comfort care or continue to have aggressive treatments. There were family dynamics and conflicts that Karen navigated with integrity and compassion.

The night shift nurses were also having a difficult time with this situation and feeling isolated on nights and experiencing gaps in information. Karen went far and beyond by meeting with the night shift nurses during their shift and provided support and bridging the gap by providing information to decrease tension and distress. After patient had died peacefully, Karen remained in contact with both father and family and mother and family, to offer continued support.