LEBANON – The August issue of national women’s fashion magazine InStyle profiles 50 outstanding female health care workers – one from each state – who have made a difference on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story, “The Badass 50: Healthcare Workers Who Are Saving the Day,” features Daniele Fenn, R.N., of North Haverhill, NH, a nurse at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, as New Hampshire’s ‘badass.’ Fenn was recognized for devising a way for her colleagues to easily communicate with non-English-speaking patients who were hospitalized at DHMC with COVID-19.

While caring for a patient from her native Brazil who spoke little English, Fenn created several signs with simple phrases in Portuguese, such as, “Wait for me, don’t get up alone,” “Do you need anything?” and “Do you want a drink?” to help her colleagues communicate with the patient and to help alleviate the patient’s fear and frustration.

When an Argentinian patient with COVID-19 was admitted to the unit shortly after, Fenn created similar signs in Spanish to help her colleagues communicate with him. The signs helped Fenn’s colleagues quickly address this patient’s needs, conserve critical personal protective equipment (PPE), and save valuable time.

“We are so proud of Daniele and her dedication to providing patients with the best possible care,” said Dartmouth-Hitchcock’s Chief Nursing Officer, Karen Clements, RN, FACHE. “Dartmouth-Hitchcock nurses go above and beyond, and Daniele’s simple, yet ingenious solution to overcoming language barriers is a testament to the lengths our nurses will go to in support of both our patients and their coworkers during an incredibly stressful time.”

Before being recognized by InStyle, Fenn’s inspiring story was featured on ABC’s Pandemic: What You Need To Know on May 11, 2020 during National Nurse’s Week. To read more about Daniele’s story, to view a video of Daniele and other honorees describing what makes them “badass,” and to read the full article, visit InStyle Magazine: www.instyle.com/news/badass-women-august-2020.

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