2007 Cherokee Inspired Comfort Award Grand Prize Winner – RN Category
Award Nomination
| Recipient: | Joan Delk, RN, BSN, COHN-S |
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| Job Title: | Staff Nurse |
| Employer: | Moses Cone Regional Cancer Center, Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Nominated by: | Linda Hunt, RN, BSN, CRNI |
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| Title: | Nurse Manager, Specialty Manager |
| Employer: | Moses Cone Regional Cancer Center, Greensboro, North Carolina |
Joan works at the cancer center, giving chemotherapy and working with the physicians. She was involved in taking care of a patient that had Acute Leukemia. The patient was from Sudan and had no home here. She was quite sick and had to rely on Medicaid transportation to and from the office. Sometimes the patient would have to wait for hours after receiving treatment to be picked up. Joan worked with the physician taking care of this patient and formed a strong bond with her. Joan actually took the patient into her own home, set up a bedroom for her and took care of her. Joan arranged for transportation with the help of people in her church for the patient.
The patient ended up needing a bone marrow transplant and Joan diligently worked to get the patient's brother here from Sudan. Joan had to get signatures and worked with the government to help and get him here. Senator Elizabeth Dole was involved in bringing the patient's brother here. The patient's brother was a match for the transplant. Joan attended doctor's visits with the patient, which involved going to another city to a University for the transplant. Once that patient's brother arrived in the United States, Joan took him into her home also.
Prior to the transplant Joan took the patient and her brother to the beach. They had never seen the ocean. Joan took them on this trip after working a full week. After several procedures and the transplant she had both the patient and the patient's brother living with her. The patient went through a tremendous ordeal. Unfortunately, the patient did not survive the intense treatments. Joan provided a safe, comfortable place for the patient and her brother during this hard time. She was their friend and they in turn became part of Joan's "family."
Joan also was instrumental in planning the patient's funeral here in the states and also transporting her body back to Sudan. She worked full time while all of this was going on. She definitely went above and beyond the call of duty. I feel she should be considered for this award because of all that she did with this patient.