Caring with ‘two brains’: How one nurse combines compassion with critical care in the MICU
Staff nurse Madison Geis, RN, received a DAISY Award for bringing comfort to a patient and their family during end-of-life care in the MICU.
In the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), it becomes clear very quickly what matters most to people. Since joining the MICU at the university campus in 2022, Madison Geis, RN, has been present for many end-of-life moments, where she believes the greatest impact as a nurse comes from combining critical care with compassionate care — what she calls the “two brains.” And often, that compassionate care shows up in small, meaningful ways.
“What I’ve found from working in the MICU is that patients in a critical moment of life don’t ask for their phone or access to their bank account; they ask for family and friends,” says Geis. “I’ve learned it’s important to focus on comforting both the patient and their loved ones during the difficult reality of the moment. Many times, it’s the simple things that mean the most.”
This was especially evident when Geis cared for a patient on a ventilator who was nearing the end of their life. The patient’s family had just made the difficult decision to withdraw care, and it was Geis who cared for them during that critical time.
“When you’re in these emotional situations with patients and their loved ones, I try to put myself in their shoes and find out what means the most to their family,” says Geis. “Hospital settings often have a lot of noises and emotions going on, so I also consider what may have the most calming effect.
It’s the little things that matter most
Geis believes deeply in the power of music and played calming tunes to create a more peaceful, comforting environment for her patient and their family. When she learned that the family regularly gathered to play cards, she made a point to find a deck so they could continue that tradition at the bedside.
Geis believes deeply in the power of music and played calming tunes to create a more peaceful, comforting environment for her patient and their family. When she learned that the family regularly gathered to play cards, she made a point to find a deck so they could continue that tradition at the bedside.
“We jokingly said they (the patient) would enjoy hearing us all banter around a card game and before we knew it, Madison showed up with a deck of cards,” wrote the family. “Small things like that really make a difference. Madison made a difference.”
Through conversations with the family, Geis also discovered her patient’s love of planting trees and spending time in the forest — a place they would likely be if they weren’t in the hospital. That shared appreciation for nature created an immediate sense of kinship, as Geis brings the same compassion and generosity she practices in nursing to her volunteer work caring for birds at a raptor rehabilitation center in Iowa City. For her simple, yet kind gestures and going out of the way to support a patient and their family, Geis received a DAISY Award.
Through her passions for both nursing and nature, Geis says she has learned the importance of leading with compassion and faith in every interaction. Her advice to new nurses is simple: Be passionate about helping others and always look for ways to make a difference, no matter how small.
“Oh, and don’t forget to make someone smile,” she adds. “It’s the little things that mean so much.”
