Patient: Nurse ‘Immediately Put Me at Ease’

Nursing Manager Alyssa Breznau, MSN, RN, reads A4 nurse Melanie Crawford, BSN, RN,
information about her DAISY Award. Below, a DAISY Award sculpture.

Patients come to the hospital because of health needs. Those needs also can stir fears.

Melanie Crawford, BSN, RN, has worked on Munson Medical Center’s A4 heart floor for the past five years and understands how scary some days can be for patients.

One day last fall, a patient arrived on A4 with a serious heart condition called atrial fibrillation. He also was still recovering from a kidney transplant at another facility. His fear was that staff would focus too much on the heart and not enough on the fact he had a new kidney.

“I was trying to convey the importance of the kidney situation,” he said. “Then, here comes Melanie, second shift RN, and almost immediately she understands my concerns. She spent time with me learning about the requirements of the medications. She immediately put me at ease and demonstrated the confidence I needed that the care of my new kidney was just as important to her.”

The patient nominated Crawford for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The nationally recognized award honors nurses for their clinical skills and compassion that go “above and beyond” expectations.

“I know floor nurses are very busy, and have many patients, but she made me feel like I was the only patient on A4,” the patient said. “Additionally, she is a good listener and thinks on her feet and I believe can adapt to any situation – a perfect candidate for the DAISY Award.”

Crawford said she chose her nursing career because she has a “passion for helping people.” She is honored to be recognized with the award.

“It’s pretty awesome, I wasn’t expecting it at all,” she said.

All DAISY Award winners receive a certificate, a DAISY pin, and a special hand-carved sculpture of serpentine stone entitled “A Healer’s Touch.”

Munson Medical Center’s A4 nursing staff members specialize in caring for cardiovascular patients and is part of the 127-bed Webber Heart Center. The center is staffed by the hospital’s heart team of four cardiothoracic surgeons, 22 cardiologists and interventional cardiologists, and highly skilled nursing and support staff.