Kristi Myers, R.N.
Beyond Compassionate Care
Kristi Myers, R.N., an intensive care nurse at Kaweah Delta Medical Center,
was recently honored with the prestigious DAISY Award , a recognition
for the super-human work nurses perform every day.
Elisa Cook spent a lot of time at Kaweah Delta Medical Center while her
father was undergoing treatment. During her many visits, registered nurse
Kristi Myers stood out among the dedicated medical professionals who cared
for her father, George Robert Verduzco, Sr., a former Korean war veteran
and construction worker.
For this reason, Elisa felt compelled to nominate Kristi for a DAISY Award,
a national program recognizing nurses across the U.S. who go above and
beyond for their patients and community.
“Kristi took the time to listen and patiently explain what was going
on with my dad,” Elisa wrote. “She exemplifies the caring,
compassionate and highly-skilled abilities I wish every nurse had. Let’s
clone her. ”
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was established in 1999 by the
DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes and the program has been
adopted by more than 2,700 healthcare facilities, including Kaweah Delta.
Nurses can be nominated by peers, physicians, patients and families, and
other staff and administrators, and nominations are reviewed by a committee
based on criteria that include compassion, teamwork, leadership, attitude,
skills and knowledge.
Elisa’s nomination recalled how day after day, Kristi visited Mr.
Verduzco’s room to see how he was doing. On one occasion, Kristi
noted his breathing was worse and he was wheezing. She called the intensivist,
a special care doctor for critically-ill patients, to come and assess
Elisa’s dad; before long, the entire medical team was present to
place Mr. Verduzco on a ventilator and admit him to the Intensive Care
Unit. Elisa’s nomination continued on describing how Kristi showed
highly skilled nursing skills, going beyond compassionate care.
Kristi was appreciative of the honor and that Elsa went out of her way
to recognize the medical team. “When we take the time to acknowledge
nurses, it makes me really happy,” she says. “This award means
a lot to me, however, it is the families that inspire me most –
when I am able to provide comfort for patients and their family member
in a difficult time.”
To pay tribute to Kristi for demonstrating exceptional talents, dedication
and service to patients, Kaweah Delta presented her with a one-of-kind
sculpture and personalized banner to be displayed in her department.
“Nurses are our unsung heroes,” says Ed Largoza, director of
patient experience at Kaweah Delta. “Every day they deliver care
with compassion, kindness and humility. The DAISY Award is a way for us
to pause and applaud our nurses.”