Heidi
Sherman
May 2012
Heidi
Sherman
,
MSN, RN-BC
Nursing Practice, Education, and Research
Mission Hospital - Asheville
Asheville
,
NC
United States
I am nominating Heidi Sherman, MSN, RN-BC for the DAISY Award for her consistent clinical expertise, patient centered care, service excellence, and professionalism over the past 25 years I have worked with her.
Heidi’s clinical expertise is in critical care. She worked at the bedside for many years serving as a patient advocate in the most complex medical situations. She moved to the nursing education department where she has served effectively for the past 25 years. Heidi over the years has taught new ICU nurses the skills necessary to care for critically ill patients competently. She has taught many classes over the years such as ECG Interpretation, Critical Care Pharmacology and Hemodynamics. She maintained her clinical expertise by filling in at the bedside and helping out in busy times even though she was in the nursing education department. This was above and beyond her job requirements, but something that represents Heidi’s dedication to maintaining excellent clinical skills and knowledge in order to transfer that knowledge effectively to new nurses.
As a new nurse over 25 years ago, Heidi was instrumental in my advancing to an expert level as I cared for patients in the cardiovascular ICU. She is a very positive role model who always presented professionally and empathetically in patient care situations. One example is that while I was a new nurse in CVICU, I found myself in the middle of an emergency which required performing surgery at the bedside. Heidi came from her office which was close to the unit, and spoke softly and calmly as she stood next to me making suggestions and recommendations related to practice and procedure which turned a very complex and challenging situation into a positive outcome, and one where my self-esteem as a new nurse was maintained. I am sure she does not remember this event. I shall never forget it, for as a new nurse, it is moments like this that an unofficial mentor makes impressions and molds behavior that is carried with a nurse for a career.
Heidi has always provided and advocated patient centered care. Her bedside care with undivided attention to the patient was something I took my cue from as a new nurse. Heidi reminded new nurses to include patients in conversations and not to talk “over them”. This is practiced by Heidi even if she came to my room to ask a question. She always addressed patients and family members before she would ask her question. Of course, this took more time, but Heidi has always practiced what she taught others to do. Remember, new nurses learn as much by observation as they do by classroom education.
Over the years, Heidi has consistently educated and influenced many critical care nurses. Many of Mission’s nurses have been greatly impacted by her consistent professionalism as she has supported and encouraged us to practice at our highest potential. Most recently I was invited to speak at a nursing conference related to research that I had completed. When I received the invitation I was flattered and yet apprehensive, and wasn’t sure how I should respond to the invitation. I needed someone to talk to; a mentor. I turned to my long time “unofficial mentor”, the one I always call when I need sound professional advice. When I presented my scenario to Heidi, she jumped in and said, “I think you should do it. You can, and I will help you.” There was absolutely no incentive for Heidi to want to help me, but this is who she is and who she always has been. She did help me, she led me, advised me with such expertise and professional know-how that I was amazed. Mostly I was amazed by the mere fact that she wanted to help me grown professionally as a nurse without any real incentive. I am always amazed by her skill and expertise at whatever she does when it comes to “growing a nurse”.
Many nurses contribute directly to positive patient outcomes; I feel it is rare that a nurse educator can make a difference in patients’ lives by serving her fellow nurse as Heidi does. On any given day, you may ask a nurse at Mission what they remember about their first days as a new nurse and I am sure you will hear, “Heidi taught me… or Heidi showed me how to …” In short, Heidi is a nurse’s nurse.
Heidi’s clinical expertise is in critical care. She worked at the bedside for many years serving as a patient advocate in the most complex medical situations. She moved to the nursing education department where she has served effectively for the past 25 years. Heidi over the years has taught new ICU nurses the skills necessary to care for critically ill patients competently. She has taught many classes over the years such as ECG Interpretation, Critical Care Pharmacology and Hemodynamics. She maintained her clinical expertise by filling in at the bedside and helping out in busy times even though she was in the nursing education department. This was above and beyond her job requirements, but something that represents Heidi’s dedication to maintaining excellent clinical skills and knowledge in order to transfer that knowledge effectively to new nurses.
As a new nurse over 25 years ago, Heidi was instrumental in my advancing to an expert level as I cared for patients in the cardiovascular ICU. She is a very positive role model who always presented professionally and empathetically in patient care situations. One example is that while I was a new nurse in CVICU, I found myself in the middle of an emergency which required performing surgery at the bedside. Heidi came from her office which was close to the unit, and spoke softly and calmly as she stood next to me making suggestions and recommendations related to practice and procedure which turned a very complex and challenging situation into a positive outcome, and one where my self-esteem as a new nurse was maintained. I am sure she does not remember this event. I shall never forget it, for as a new nurse, it is moments like this that an unofficial mentor makes impressions and molds behavior that is carried with a nurse for a career.
Heidi has always provided and advocated patient centered care. Her bedside care with undivided attention to the patient was something I took my cue from as a new nurse. Heidi reminded new nurses to include patients in conversations and not to talk “over them”. This is practiced by Heidi even if she came to my room to ask a question. She always addressed patients and family members before she would ask her question. Of course, this took more time, but Heidi has always practiced what she taught others to do. Remember, new nurses learn as much by observation as they do by classroom education.
Over the years, Heidi has consistently educated and influenced many critical care nurses. Many of Mission’s nurses have been greatly impacted by her consistent professionalism as she has supported and encouraged us to practice at our highest potential. Most recently I was invited to speak at a nursing conference related to research that I had completed. When I received the invitation I was flattered and yet apprehensive, and wasn’t sure how I should respond to the invitation. I needed someone to talk to; a mentor. I turned to my long time “unofficial mentor”, the one I always call when I need sound professional advice. When I presented my scenario to Heidi, she jumped in and said, “I think you should do it. You can, and I will help you.” There was absolutely no incentive for Heidi to want to help me, but this is who she is and who she always has been. She did help me, she led me, advised me with such expertise and professional know-how that I was amazed. Mostly I was amazed by the mere fact that she wanted to help me grown professionally as a nurse without any real incentive. I am always amazed by her skill and expertise at whatever she does when it comes to “growing a nurse”.
Many nurses contribute directly to positive patient outcomes; I feel it is rare that a nurse educator can make a difference in patients’ lives by serving her fellow nurse as Heidi does. On any given day, you may ask a nurse at Mission what they remember about their first days as a new nurse and I am sure you will hear, “Heidi taught me… or Heidi showed me how to …” In short, Heidi is a nurse’s nurse.