Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer LaTivia Carr, along with Riverside President and CEO Phil Kambic were on hand today to recognize our most recent D.A.I.S.Y. award recipient. Congratulations, Moranda Matheson, RN from I.M.C.U.!

The nomination received was submitted by the family of a patient cared for by nurse Matheson and read: On January 7th, 2022, around 7:35 p.m. I called the step-down I.C.U. to get an update on my mother, Patricia Hatfield, who was being treated for COVID pneumonia. Charge Nurse Moranda Matheson answered my call. Nurse Matheson spoke to me for 30 minutes or more, answering all of my questions in detail with kindness and sympathy, never once rushing to get off the phone. After my questions were answered, Nurse Matheson asked when was the last time I spoke to my mom.

I replied Thursday night when she left her home via ambulance. I began to cry because my mom was all alone, with no phone, and we were not allowed to see her. All my mom knew was that she was sick and in the hospital and that I was right behind her thinking I would be able to stay with her. All I could think was that she must’ve been so scared all alone with no way of knowing anything. You see, my mother had the beginning stages of dementia. She got confused a lot. Her children were the only ones she trusted. Nurse Matheson asked me if I had an iPhone and I said my daughter does. She then gave me her personal number and said, “give me a few minutes and have her FaceTime me.” After a few minutes, we called and we were greeted with a smile and a wave by my mom. I was able to reassure my mom that she was okay, that the nurses were taking good care of her, that she was not alone, that we would be there as soon as the hospital would allow us, but most importantly, we were able to tell my mom that we all loved her so much and with joy in my mother’s heart, she replied that she loved us all. With this incredible act of kindness, Nurse Matheson had given my mother the comfort and reassurance she needed and although we didn’t know it at the time, Nurse Matheson had given us all the greatest blessing one could have: a chance to make sure my mom knew we loved her and for my mom to reply to us before God called her home the next morning.

My mother left this world knowing she wasn’t alone and she was so very loved. She got to say “I love you all” one last time because one amazing charge nurse unselfishly turned around and picked up the phone even though she was walking out the doors to go home for the night. To our angel Moranda Matheson, we will never be able to thank you enough for the precious and irreplaceable gift you have given us. You will forever be proof that God works through his people and that angels do walk the earth. May God bless you and yours always with lots of thanks and love, Patricia Hatfield’s family.