A registered nurse and a Chaplain have been recognized with Golden Heart Awards for their impact on the care they gave to a 100-year-old dying patient.
Aunt Freddie was 100 years of age when she was admitted into Palliative Care at the North Bay Regional Health Centre last April.
The family believes Kayla Davis, RN, Inpatient Medicine, and Chaplain Beth Hewson, Pastoral Care, played a key part in making her final days comforting.
"We were fortunate to have Kayla Davis, RN look after Freddie, as well as look after my sister and me," noted Dianne Culhane and her sister Karen Larabie.
"Kayla treated our aunt with kindness, compassion and dignity, and made us comfortable at a very difficult time. My sister and I were overtired but hesitant to leave our aunt alone. Kayla noted we needed to take care of ourselves and reassured us that our aunt would be kept comfortable. She gently tucked Freddie in and we went home to rest.
Culhane says they received a call early the next morning that our beloved Freddie had passed away peacefully.
"When my sister and I returned to the hospital, Kayla greeted us with hugs and gave us the time and privacy we needed to say our final goodbyes," the sisters stated.
"She assured us that she would put Freddie’s favourite pink fleece jacket on her, for her final journey. Kayla truly is an earth angel with a heart of gold… we would like to nominate her for a Golden Heart award.
"We are also very grateful to Chaplain Beth Hewson. She knew Freddie from previous stays at the NBRHC and they had a nice connection. It was comforting to have Beth there for Freddie during her final stay and to lead us in prayer. "
These exceptional staff went above and beyond for a patient at the North Bay Regional Health Centre, inspiring a Grateful Family donation to the Foundation which led to Golden Heart Awards for the staff.
The Golden Heart Award is given through the Grateful Family donation where a staff member, physician, volunteer, or department is recognized by a patient or a patient's family.
Those honoured through the donation are recognized at staff meetings through the hospital's social media and are awarded a golden heart badge for their name tag.