Monica Thelen, an RN in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the E.W. Sparrow Hospital in Michigan, is a fantastic nurse who goes above and beyond to provide compassionate care to her patients. She recently received a well-deserved DAISY Award for her outstanding work caring for a young patient who was nervous about having an MRI.
The five-year-old boy needed to be sedated for several MRIs, and Thelen, a pediatric ICU nurse, made him feel safe and comfortable before his procedure.
Daily Nurse proudly recognizes Monica Thelen of Sparrow’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit as our Nurse of the Week, honoring Thelen’s extraordinary compassion for her young patient and their family.
“She was so silly with him, joking around, pretending to race around corners as they pushed him through the halls, and making him laugh,” says the boy’s mom. “It was the first time I saw him smile since we got here.”
When the patient experienced breathing issues during the procedure, Thelen reassured the boy’s mother that it was common and that he would be okay.
“I panicked internally as I watched a very calm staff bag him and help him start breathing again,” says the youngster’s mother. “Monica stepped in front of me to bring me back to earth. I will remember that in my most vulnerable and scary moment as a parent, the compassion she showed me.”
“It is an honor that I was able to turn a family’s nightmare into something positive,” says Thelen. “It is important for me to establish a good relationship with not only the kids but the parents as well. They are just as vulnerable, and it’s important that they can trust who is taking care of their kid.”
Thelen’s PICU manager Jennifer Komm says she is a calming presence to patients and families. “She is truly a valued member of our PICU team.”
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