10/31/2025
Congratulations to Karin Cleary, RN, Luckow Same Day Services, The Valley Hospital DAISY Award winner for May, presented by The Daisy Foundation.
An excerpt from Karin's nomination reads:
“My 13-year-old daughter was scheduled for a same-day procedure with anesthesia. Never having been in a hospital or procedural area before, she started the day expressing anxiety about having the procedure done and repeatedly asked if there was any way she could avoid it. Upon arrival, I could sense her discomfort. She was pacing while standing and her legs were restless while sitting. She kept telling me how scared she was. Every time we encountered a staff member, their warmth and welcoming nature seemed to put my daughter at ease. After a quick registration and spending only a few minutes in the waiting area, my daughter’s nurse, Karin, came out to greet us. She walked us to the bay where she spent time getting to know my daughter through the admission process. Karin could also sense my daughter’s fear, especially after insertion of the IV. She provided her with a small stuffed bear and teamed up with the Child Life Specialist for extra treats. Karin repeatedly came to check in to see how she was doing and spent a lot of time answering her questions about what was going to happen. My daughter expressed how much she liked Karin and was happy that she was her nurse. When my daughter learned that I couldn’t go into the procedure room with her, her anxiety escalated. She asked if Karin could accompany her into the procedure room since I couldn’t. I told her no because she was assigned to the pre-operative area. Karin and her supervisor overheard and together agreed that Karin could accompany her in the procedure room. This immediately brought my daughter a sense of relief. Then into the procedure room they went with the rest of the staff. After the procedure, when my daughter was waking up in recovery, she was crying and asking for Karin. As it turned out, we didn’t even need to find her because she was already on her way to check in on her. She continued to check in and even came over with the wheelchair when it was time for discharge. I can’t express enough gratitude to the entire staff caring for my daughter during her stay for this same day procedure, but especially to Karin. She went above and beyond normal expectations of a nurse caring for a young patient undergoing a procedure. She quickly recognized that my daughter needed a little extra TLC and did everything she could to lighten her concerns. OR nurses don’t really have much time to get to know a patient before the patient undergoes anesthesia. Since Karin had more time to get to know her, she was able to earn my daughter’s trust. Taking the extra time to accompany her into the unknown (in this case, a procedure room) when mom couldn’t be there meant the world to her. Later that day, she told me she thinks she wants to do what Karin does when she grows up. The care Karin provided on that day may not only have impacted her on that day but also may have inspired a future nursing career! We want to thank Karin from the bottom of our hearts.”
