Brandi Deason, BSN, RN. (photo by Erin O. Smith)
Brandi Deason, BSN, RN, works in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She is one of the latest Vanderbilt Health DAISY Award winners.
From the nomination
“There are nurses who care for patients, and then there are nurses who change a family forever. Brandi Deason is one of those rare nurses. Our son was a tiny warrior who fought in the NICU. During that time, Brandi didn’t just care for him, she truly knew him; his personality, rhythms, and tiny expressions. She understood him in a way that made us feel safe leaving our entire world in her hands. From the very beginning, Brandi bonded with our son and our family. She treated him like he was her own baby. She celebrated his milestones with us and grieved the hard days alongside us. She went above and beyond in ways that most people will never see and turned ordinary moments into memories we will treasure for the rest of our lives.
“In the middle of a terrifying and uncertain NICU journey, she gave us something priceless: trust, comfort, and the feeling that our baby was deeply loved. The moment that defines Brandi’s extraordinary heart came when our son passed away. Brandi told the doctors and charge nurse she wanted to come in and take care of him. And she did. She stayed with us and helped love on our baby in the most beautiful and sacred way. She made molds of his tiny hands and feet and helped create artwork and keepsakes so that we would always have pieces of him with us. She created beauty in the middle of unimaginable heartbreak.
“At the end of the night, when it was finally time for us to say goodbye, we placed him in Brandi’s arms. She gently swaddled, rocked and held him with the same tenderness she had shown him every single day of his life. Brandi treated him with the same care, dignity, and devotion that any parent would want for their child.
“There are not enough words, and certainly not enough DAISY awards, to express what Brandi has meant to our family. She turned the most painful day of our lives into ones filled with love, honor, and peace for our baby boy. For that, we will be forever grateful. Brandi Deason is the definition of what a nurse should be, and she deserves every recognition possible.”
About DAISY Awards
The DAISY Award is a recognition for extraordinary nurses who exemplify compassion toward patients and families.
Vanderbilt Health distributes the award in partnership with The DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 1999 to honor the memory of J. Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old man who died of complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Barnes’ family was moved by the care they received from his nurses and wanted to recognize them to preserve his memory. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Vanderbilt Health nurse committees determine the recipients. Previous recipients of the DAISY Award are here. The award is open to all licensed nurses, and anyone can nominate — including co-workers, patients and their families.
