Abby Gres-Castelan honored with DAISY Award
Contact: Sarah Bello
DAISY Award given quarterly to extraordinary nurses at CMH
ASTORIA, Ore. — Columbia Memorial Hospital proudly announces Abby Gres-Castelan as its most recent recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Gres-Castelan is new to the nursing profession and was recognized for her critical thinking, level-headedness and calming bedside manner.
Gres-Castelan’s commitment was highlighted in a nomination written by a fellow nurse. During a shift with a particularly critical case in the ICU, Gres-Castelan provided exceptional support to her colleague. The nomination read:
“Recently, I began my shift with a patient who was obviously in distress. His breathing was labored, he was hypotensive, had no palpable distal pulses, muffled heart tones, and intense abdominal pain. In addition to getting our hospitalists at bedside, I needed to contact the intensivist via tele-doc.
“The patient required [many interventions] and air-transport to a larger hospital in Portland. In a larger hospital, this can be achieved relatively easily. In a small hospital on night shift, a situation like this can feel like moving mountains. A delay in care could have led to the patient coding.
“With my own stress levels rising, I turned around, and Abby was already in my patient’s doorway anticipating my needs. She had already contacted the interdisciplinary care team and initiated the process for transport. I couldn’t leave the patient’s bedside, but almost telepathically, Abby had already gathered the supplies I needed and kept track of the extensive, necessary charting. Her assistance during this crisis helped me to quickly stabilize the patient and avoid calling a code.
“In all my time as a nurse, I have never seen a brand-new nurse have the natural abilities that Abby already possesses. She motivates me and reminds me I can still see our profession with a fresh perspective.”
The DAISY Foundation, established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, recognizes extraordinary nurses who exemplify exceptional care to patients and their families.
Gres-Castelan will be featured on the DAISY Foundation website and will have the opportunity to apply for additional scholarships as part of her recognition.
CMH will continue recognizing DAISY honorees throughout the year. If you have a story about a CMH nurse who made a difference, submit a nomination at www.columbiamemorial.org/forms/staff-recognition-daisy-award/.