Ambulatory DAISY Recipients

Read Annaliza's Nomination

“I’ve seen nurse Zurcher now probably about five or six times. She always makes me feel a lot better about my visit considering I dread doctor appointments. She is always extremely friendly and easy to talk to. Today I was sitting in the patient room and wondering how I could let her know that I appreciate her and what she does and then I saw this survey and thought instantly to recognize her on this platform. Hats off to you, nurse Zurcher. You’re amazing at what you do, and my family and I would like to say thank you”

Read Marla's Nomination

“First officially met Marla Houston, RN, on 5/8/23 (then weekly until 6/9/23) but saw her most days of treatment (at least in passing). She always greeted me and asked how I was doing. On our weekly nursing visits (before I met with the doctor), she was always very helpful and concerned. She not only listened to my related concerns, passing information to the doctor to follow up with me about, but would discuss my concerns about other health problems … I am glad she was there and will always remember her. I can’t imagine a more compassionate individual, always helpful and concerned about me — but with a smile that just made me feel confident with everything going on.”

Read Christian's Nomination

“My husband, David Todd Parnell, is a patient in the Vanderbilt Heart Transplant Program in Nashville. He is almost at the 2 year post transplant mark. After his heart transplant, we were assigned Christian Haefele as our post-transplant coordinator. Now I am sure you get hundreds of nominations for nurses who are extraordinary, and we have witnessed many there at Vanderbilt who went the extra mile. But God knew my husband's path would be difficult, and that we would need someone to help us navigate unfamiliar waters.  He sent Christian our way. To say Christian is outstanding would be merely touching the surface. I am sure he has many, many patients, but he makes the both of us feel like his sole mission is to give David extraordinary care. Christian knows that a heart transplant can change people in many ways, and he also knows that every patient is different. Instead of opening up a textbook and treating him like any other person, he allows David to talk through his struggles and concerns.  He knows my husband is a proud man who has struggled with many setbacks. He approaches him with dignity, respect, putting him at ease when nothing else seems to help.  Every time he reaches out regarding important news, care concerns or just an encouraging phone call, he takes the extra time to explain what is going on in a way that we both understand. 
Most importantly, he listens to the needs & concerns that we have. He is not afraid to say "I don't know", and he makes it a priority to get those questions and concerns answered.  He knows when it's time to encourage us, and he also knows how to tell us the difficult things. And when those difficult moments arise, he tells us "WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS! I got you. I won't let you fall."  For someone we have known for only a couple of years, he knows my husband like he's known him a lifetime because he truly "sees" him for who he is.  We feel within our hearts that he has walked beside us through every moment of this.  It has not been easy.  My husband has those days where he feels beaten down, but then the phone rings and there's our "Champion for Life" on the other end listening to him and encouraging him, saying that he cannot imagine how he feels. But that he's there to walk beside him and get him through this.   We are exactly 370 miles away from Vanderbilt, and that can be overwhelming navigating labs, tests, procedures, medicine changes & adverse reactions, insurance denials for post-transplant medically necessary procedures, immunosuppressed illnesses, countless other issues that no one can ever predict and days where you have just had all you can take. We all need someone to help us navigate and advocate for us through what is literally the most difficult thing anyone and their caregiver can go through. There is not one single event or story we could tell you about Christian because it has and continues to be his care, compassion, concern, eagerness to find answers, ability to listen and really hear what we have to say.   
I nearly lost my husband multiple times post-transplant where he either had to be revived, or after having a collapsed lung, enduring unbearable pain from a VATS procedure. Yes, nurses and doctors were there to work through the acute issues, but Christian was there and continues to be there right beside us through it all.  So what I want Vanderbilt Medical Center to know is they found that ONE in a million person who was put on this Earth to do THIS work. It's not enough to be well educated, and good at what you do.  You have to genuinely want to help people & have the compassion to do it.  When Christian looks at his patients, he sees human beings who just want to be seen and heard.  When he knows his patients are struggling, he seems to move Heaven & Earth to make them his priority giving them the help they truly need. And when my husband started slipping away because he was beat down from excruciating pain and lost the will to live, he stopped what he was doing and stood by his side. He told my husband that "yes" there would be difficult days and bumps in the road, but for us not to worry.. that's what HE was there for. There is no amount of money or enough words I could possibly use to tell him what "Thank You" truly means.  But I want to somehow give some of that love & compassion back to him.. Christian, know that because of you my husband is not just alive he is LIVING, and we have more life and love to live together because you NEVER gave up.  And that on one awful day, you reached down into his soul and helped bring him back.  And because of you, my husband came home.  And every day since, you are still right there... walking beside us. Christian deserves the world and we certainly wish we could give it to him.  Could you please help us recognize this incredible man who sets the bar SO high not just for those who work in the medical field but for humanity... Living a life of service to his patients through his immeasurable desire to help them, and his unrelenting spirit that NEVER gives up.  We are so grateful to everyone at Vanderbilt who made this miracle heart transplant happen,...but we owe THIS man our life. If anyone deserves this honor, it is this man.. Christian Haefele.. Forever OUR Superman!”

Read Shana's Nomination

“Shana received a triage call about a patient reporting high ileostomy output and he needed help. In her thorough triage and assessment, the nurse was able to determine the patient was not dehydrated, but possibly had high ostomy output and did have some medication changes that potentially needed to be made. She also noted in her learning assessment, the patient did not have good understanding of how to measure output and also did not have resources in his home to help him. Because he was located several hours away, a trip to the clinic wouldn't be the right next step. The nurse thought creatively and saw the patient did have an ER close to him, but his clinical picture was not emergent. Instead, she called the local ER and asked to speak to a charge nurse. She explained the situation to the charge nurse and asked if they had a disposable handheld urinal they could give to the patient, and she could then teach him how to measure output from the ileostomy. The charge nurse was so delighted by the creativity and caring heart from the Vanderbilt nurse, she enthusiastically left a urinal out at the desk...letting everyone know the urinal was being picked up shortly by a patient and then he'd be on his way. The charge nurse thanked the Vanderbilt nurse for being so caring and reaching out to them so they could help. Both nurses congratulated and celebrated each other’s caring and creative spirits :-) Somewhere out there a patient rolled up to a local ER just to grab a urinal that Vanderbilt called and told him to go pick up so Shana could finish her triage assessment of ileostomy output! This represents not just the kindness but the creativity and relentless pursuit of excellent patient care from our Vanderbilt Nurses!”

Read Holley's Nomination

“Holley has consistently gone above and beyond expectations to help me obtain needed medical care. For example, several times during the COVID-19 pandemic I developed a skin infection which worsened rapidly within hours and was very painful … Holley was extremely responsive in making sure I received doctoral and medical care, and that I received an antibiotic prescription that quickly fought the infection and relieved the excruciating pain I was in. This made a tremendous difference in my life, as she more than once worked extra to ensure that I was taken care of before night came or a weekend began and care would be hard to get.”

Read Rebecca's Nomination

“There was a patient … when she arrived to check in she was short of breath. She has COPD and relies on an oxygen concentrator and her machine died on her way to her appointment. She forgot her charger at home. Our team jumped into action and hooked her up to O2 in clinic. We assessed she could not safely travel home (2.5 hour drive) without O2 … Rebecca worked for hours to care for the patient and communicate with the team, as we tried and coordinate oxygen for her trip home. Rebecca made sure this patient’s needs were met in clinic while we worked to source her oxygen. She performed regular O2 saturation checks, an oxygen tolerance test and other checks which would be required to get patient oxygen to take home. She provided lots of education to the patient and family of what the process looked like, and she spent time providing empathy and compassion when the patient and granddaughter were tired and frustrated. She did all this while diligently keeping the clinic staff and management in the loop until a plan was solidified.”