Compassion Earns Wedel a DAISY Award

Bayhealth nurses work every day to make a meaningful difference in each patient’s life. Labor & Delivery Nurse Laura Wedel, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, is no exception. Her care and compassion not only embody the level of care patients can expect at Bayhealth, a Magnet® designated health system, but also made her the most recent recipient of a DAISY Award.

Wedel was nominated for the award by her coworker who said that although every patient is lucky to have her as a nurse, one patient in particular stood out. A pregnant woman was experiencing symptoms that could have been explained as pregnancy-related discomforts. However, after she gave birth, she was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.

Although other nurses were confused about the patient staying on the Labor & Delivery floor postpartum, Wedel knew that it gave the new mother the best chance to see her baby, who was in the NICU.
“She made it her mission to get the patient stable enough to see her baby,” her coworker wrote in the nomination. “She cared for this patient for three days in a row and fought every day to get her patient the care, and attention she deserved.”

Along with getting the patient a more comfortable bed and pain management, Wedel also had doctors and clinicians from different departments come see the patient and ensured a care plan was put in place.
“When Laura wasn’t making phone calls to different departments and doing everything in her power for this patient, she was in her patient’s room, talking, crying, comforting and praying with her. After a taxing three days of advocating for her patient and multiple scans, consults, and procedures; Laura was able to get the patient stable enough to visit her baby in the NICU,” Wedel’s coworker wrote. “After the visit, the patient came back to the floor glowing. She was determined and her spirits were high.”

After helping the patient see her baby, Wedel went even further, putting together a basket of cards, gift cards and get-well goodies.

Upon receiving the award, Wedel remained humble, insisting that caring for each patient is a team effort.

“We are all so lucky to have her work on our floor and at Bayhealth,” said her coworker.

The DAISY Award is given by the DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. The Barnes family wanted to recognize the nurses who cared for Patrick and all the other “unsung heroes” of the nursing profession.

DAISY Award honorees are chosen by nurses, administrators, peers, physicians, volunteers, patients, and family. If you know a Bayhealth nurse who deserves to be nominated, visit Bayhealth.org/DAISY and fill out the nomination form.