Awards and Achievements
Jennie Edmundson Nurse Kami Houser Honored With The DAISY Award
Published: May 2, 2022
Kami Houser, ADN, RN, joined the Acute Care for Elders (ACE)/Medical Surgical Unit at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital less than a year ago, but she’s already made an impact on patients and her coworkers. Her compassion and skill were recently on display as she cared for Bill Storey and his family.
Bill, a father of five with nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, was visiting his doctor for a routine appointment when he had a heart attack. He was rushed to Jennie Edmundson for care, then began his recovery on Houser’s unit. For two weeks, Bill’s health improved, and he began cardiac rehabilitation. But just when it appeared Bill may be nearing discharge, he began experiencing complications from his COPD, and his health declined significantly.
“He said, ‘I just can’t do this anymore. I want to go home,’” said his wife, Wendy.
It was an emotional moment not only for the family, but also Houser.
“I just remember how close-knit they were,” she said. “They were all concerned about Bill, and I remember him just looking at me, holding my hand and telling me what he wanted. He didn’t want to be a burden on them. Just their love for each other and willingness to sacrifice for the ones they loved was pretty impressive.”
Houser had already made an impression on the Storeys during Bill’s time at Jennie Edmundson, but when Bill decided he wanted to begin hospice care at home, “That’s when she kind of took over,” Wendy said.
From left: Kami Houser, Wendy Storey and Diane Storey at The DAISY Award ceremony
Houser worked diligently with the hospital’s social work team to help move along Bill’s discharge, which resulted in more time for him to spend with family during his final days.
“The two days we had with Bill at home were pretty precious,” Wendy said. “We had everybody here, probably 20 people here for two days. While it was kind of a sad time, we had a lot of laughs. They were probably the most important two days we had.”
Wendy was so grateful for Houser’s efforts that she nominated her for The DAISY Award, which honors nurses for their outstanding care. And she made a point of being at the hospital when Houser was surprised with the award.
“She was probably the best nurse I ever ran into, and I’ve run into a lot of good nurses,” Wendy said. “She was the most compassionate person I’ve ever been around. She made you feel like she was part of your family.”