Deadly Car Crash Leaves Sole Survivor; Nurse Took Him Under Her Wing
One moment, everything is fine. The next, your entire family is gone. That was the experience for a pediatric patient who survived a car crash in which all the other passengers – his family – lost their lives. When the patient arrived at the Emergency Department (ED), Haley Bolton, RN, cared for him in more ways than one. Read the below nomination from a fellow team member that earned Haley her recent DAISY Award.
“In August, a patient arrived under extraordinary circumstances while Haley Bolton was assigned to the Pediatric ED. The child was the sole survivor of a motor vehicle collision that killed both parents and sibling. The family lived in another state and were traveling through the area when the accident occurred. The child was left without any family locally or nationally. The only family was on another continent altogether.
“Haley went above and beyond for this patient. This is the note received from the Charlottesville Department of Social Services:
“‘I wanted to recognize a nurse that was with ** in the ED that Thursday. Her name was Haley. I never got her last name. She was unbelievably supportive. At the end of her shift, ** was being admitted. She wanted to make sure ** had some things that night. She made a list and went to Walmart and came back with items, like books and clothing. It was amazing that after a long and busy shift (what I could tell based on the amount of people in the waiting area and the hallways), she chose to take time and help him feel more comfortable. This was above and beyond. I really appreciate it, and I know this young man did as well. Thank you for what you do.’
“Haley recognized the maturity of the child exceeded the typical growth and development for the patient’s age. She recognized coping skills, and she connected with the specific grieving processes acknowledging his need to honor his family through grief. She took the time to follow-up in the next few days to make sure the child had the necessary support to grieve through dates and times the patient expected to participate in family celebrations.
“She listened to the patient’s heart while attending to his physical needs. She respected his growth and development and didn’t diminish him by dumbing down the situation. She also acted when she saw that for the age and stage of a ‘tween,’ his needs were unique, and she met those needs when she went Walmart for the personal items.
“Haley demonstrates this remarkable connection with the human side of caring for patients in crisis situations every day she provides care. We are honored to have her on the ED team. She demonstrates the true north of alleviating patient suffering.”
Nomination edited for privacy and clarity.
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The Professional Nursing Staff Organization honors up to two UVA RNs each month with a DAISY Award. Nominations may be submitted by patients, patient families, visitors, and fellow UVA team members. Learn more at uvadaisy.com.
Great story! Congratulations Haley!
What a fantastic nursing story. Congratulations on your well deserved award. This exemplifies what nurses do….care and give without any expectations; simply because it is the right thing to do and because nurses exist to care with no expectations of accolades or awards. It always makes me proud to be a nurse when nurses receive rewards completely unexpectedly for actions they took simply from the heart and because they are who they are. Thank you for all that you do every day. This patient (and I am sure many others) are grateful for your medical expertise and your thoughtful caring personality.
Loved this story and the kind heart of Haley
Congratulations Haley!! You showed compassion, caring and empathy, something that the pt really needed at that time. It’s good to know that, even in a fast pace environment, we still have nurses who provide holistic care!!!!
Congrats Haley! So well deserved! You have been a fantastic nurse when you were in the Infusion Center and I am sure the ED is lucky to have you now.
Well deserved!! Hailey was my sons nurse when he was in the ED. She was amazing!
Haley, I am so proud of my girl, but I knew you were like this when I oriented you over here in the Infusion Center. You are not only an incredible nurse, but also an incredible person. I love and miss you.
Such a talented and caring nurse. A true exemplar of a great emergency room nurse. I am glad to call you a friend and colleague. Congratulations Haley! You deserve it!
Such a wonderful, caring, and giving nurse. Haley, you are the true meaning of a role model. Congratulations!!
I am so glad that Haley received this award for her care of this patient that day. She is such a caring and kind nurse, and is so incredibly knowledgeable and talented. I am proud to work alongside her in the ED. Congratulations, Haley!
none of this surprises me! Haley is such a compassionate nurse combined with excellent clinical skills and she truly is amazing!! Congrats Haley!!
This is so awesome!!! Well deserved!!!
Wow Congratulations Haley. I just read the story about you and the child you came to the rescue of. Thank you so much for taking the time to be there for this patient. I don’t know how ole he is but to be in a hospital with no family at all and the fact they did not survive was even more sad. I hope his young one healed and was able to get back to his extended family. I know if this were me I would make sure I had a long term connection to him. How terrible sad for him. But God put the right nurse in his life that night. Thank you so much.
He must have been so fightened and you were there to be his guardian angel in every way. The marriage of duty to service and the genuine act of kindness, nursing at its best when they leave footprints in the heart of others. Way to raise the bar Haley! Congrats!
Congratulations !!! My friend. You have always been awesome. God bless.
This is an example for doing what you love and loving what you do…”Nursing at it’s best”!! Haley, thank you for representing our profession in such an amazing and exceptional way. Keep being awesome.
Haley is an amazing peds nurse with such a kind heart! So so proud of you!
What an incredible nurse you are Haley! I can’t imagine the pain he was experiencing, and I’m so glad this patient had a nurse like you. Well done!
That brings tears to my eyes… The world is a better place because of you. So glad you were there that night…
Not surprised at all! The few opportunities that I’ve had to work with Haley, I knew she was special ! Congrats on doing what you consistently do best CARE!!
” Congratulations Haley!!
When I use to work with you in the cancer center I could always see your Compassionate and eagerness for the patients and for your peers…
This story made me cry…. Haley, you were an angel to this person who needed one so badly. Thank you
What an awesome lady you must be, Haley! I’m on the “exit” end of nursing due to age, but when one nurses from the heart you basically make a living loving other people. That has been my goal for the past 40+ years; I am glad to hear of someone who shares that mind set! Bonita Toms
I echo all the comments made here. You provided amazing care, compassion, and even love to this boy. You were at his side, following up with staff in the transition of care, and checking in on him throughout his stay. You found a way to be what he needed, that wonderful and creative cross between caring and supportive healthcare professional and kind and loving aunt. I was honored to have witnessed the care you gave first-hand. Thank you and congratulations on this well-deserved recognition
What an incredible story and testament. This isn’t just about a wonderful nurse who is the epitomy of what a nurse is, but it’s about a wonderful woman who took the time to show compassion and empathy above and beyond her normal duties. Thank you Haley, for being the person you are and for helping this patient through a horrendous experience!!!!!!!! God Bless you!
So incredibly proud of you, Haley! You are an exceptional person and it comes through in the care you give to patients. Must be that Louisiana spirit!!
If we could pick and choose our nurse to care for us I would certainly choose you. What a great story. You are truly heaven sent.
Congratulations Haley! Well deserved! I’m honored to have worked with you!!!!
You are an amazing Nurse and an outstanding person ~ so lucky to know and have you as a friend. So happy you are recognized and appreciated for what you do!!!
The true heart of nursing! So much more than numbers, algorithms and disease processes…
You are a wonderful person who deeply cares for your patients. I am overcome with emotion after reading what this poor child had to endure and your efforts to ease his pain. Thank you for your open heart and kindness that surely made an impossibly tragic outcome as least a little bearable.
What a tragic, sad story. So glad this lady was able to help and go above and beyond! Very heart-warming.
Just read this and I am in tears! Such a tragic loss for this young boy to lose everyone near and dear all in one moment. What a blessing Haley was to be his nurse and to help him through this difficult time. They say angels walk amongst us and I believe this young woman is a true angel!