CVICU nurses receive DAISY Team Award for going “above and beyond”

The nurses in UI Health Care's Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to care for critically ill patients, but they also recognize the vulnerabilities and difficulties faced by their patients and families. By throwing birthday parties, handing out gift baskets, and even coordinating a wedding ceremony, our CVICU nurses go the extra mile for their patients.

For its efforts, the CVICU team received the UI Hospitals & Clinics DAISY Team Award, which honors a nurse-led team that identifies and meets patient or patient family needs by going above and beyond its duties.

The team was nominated by a nurse manager who wrote:

“The patients in CVICU are not just patients, they are individuals with a story, and this is highly valued by the CVICU staff. For example, the nurses in CVICU were instrumental in helping to plan and coordinate a wedding ceremony for a long-term patient who wished to see her daughter be married, as she knew she would not be granted enough time to attend her daughter’s future wedding. It was no challenge for the staff to assist in arranging this wedding, and providing a unique opportunity for this family to enjoy this special celebration.

“Also, birthdays are a big deal, and the CVICU nurses knew just what a surprise birthday party would do for a patient who was nearing a 100-day length of stay in CVICU. The nurses coordinated the perfect John Wayne birthday shindig, complete with singing, decorations, and cake and ice cream.

“Another awe-inspiring moment in CVICU occurred during the holiday season. CVICU staff nurses wanted to make the holidays a special time for our patients by making them holiday gift baskets. Together, CVICU staff raised over $1,000 and were able to make 20-plus gift baskets to hand out to patients and families. The response from staff and reaction from patients and their families was PRICELESS.

“These are just a few of the selfless acts of compassion and kindness displayed by the CVICU nurses, in addition to the above and beyond care that is given each and every day in CVICU. It’s about doing things that truly matter and making a difference in peoples’ lives—and that is what CVICU is all about.

“It is no secret that the CVICU staff take excellent care of their patients and families, but their effort does not stop there. The CVICU team also takes excellent care of each other and fully embraces our team as a family. The sense of value and camaraderie that radiates amongst peers and throughout CVICU is exceptional! The focus is not on individuals within CVICU, but rather the CVICU team has worked together to create and foster a culture where the team is most important, and taking care of each other is given high priority.

“The relationships among peers in CVICU are special and run deep throughout the unit! We truly function like a family, experiencing the journey—the good times, the fun times, and the tough times—together and working to ensure we are all successful and the very best that we can be!

"The CVICU nursing team is extraordinary, but it takes our ENTIRE CVICU multidisciplinary team to accomplish the outstanding work being achieved within the CVICU!”