August 2012
Whitney
Smith
,
RN
Pediatrics
Providence Alaska Medical Center
Anchorage
,
AK
United States
I nominate Whitney Smith a pediatric RN from the Children's Hospital at Providence, for the DAISY award. Whitney's nursing expertise and practice exemplifies everything that the DAISY award stands for. She is a prime candidate for the award.
The Core Values of Providence coincide with Whitney's nature, and shine throught the care she gives each of her patients. She treats each person she encounters with utmost respect, regardless of the circumstances. In addition, she is an advocate for the just treatment for every individual under her care. These attributes, combined with her endless compassion for those around her, are among the things that instill trust in her patients. Whitney's commitment to excellence and stewardship is exhibited through her primary patient care, her dedication to educating new nurses, and her participation in education initiatives within the unit.
Whitney makes a conscious effort to employ evidence based practices in every aspect of her care. She consistently references research when explaining interventions to patients and staff. Her dedication to keeping up with recent research and keeping others informed makes her an invaluable member of the pediatric team.
Some of Whitney's strongest qualities are her leadership, and her ability to educate and mentor. She has mentored two students in the year that she has worked on the Pediatric unit. She has a talent for teaching, and extraordinary patience for a learning student. While Whitney will challenge a student's knowledge by asking difficult questions, like a well seasoned professor, she is ready with an explanation and a supportive response. Her teaching skills extend to benefit patients and their families, as well. Whitney's ability to identify areas of need through her thorough assessment comes to her like a second nature. Her willingness to spend time teaching patients and families is limitless. Her colleagues also benefit from her teaching abilities, as they frequently refer to her with questions.
Every nurse aspires to give the right care at the right time to every patient. Among Whitney's many talents, she fosters the ability to assess and identify patient needs in a swift, timely manner. Her ability to prioritize patient needs is without equal. Her patients consistently report their appreciation of her pain management. Physicians know they can count on her judgment to contact them when necessary. Some of the factors that play into her ability to provide the right care at the right time are good judgment, thorough assessment, and effective time management.
Multidisciplinary collaboration is very important to Whitney's plan of care. She makes a point to communicate with several different disciplines, as they apply for each individual case. One of the most important lessons I have learned from Whitney is the value of functioning as a team. She is often the first person to stand when she hears a pump alarming, regardless of whose patient it belongs to. Whitney understands that helping your coworkers, even with the simplest tasks, makes a very big difference in the way a unit functions. In addition to individual patient care, she collaborates regularly with committees and case managers. For instance, patient safety is her primary priority. She has been active with the daily "unit safety meetings" and has made several suggestions to enhance patient safety on the pediatric floor.
In conclusion, I would like to add an example of a case, where Whitney has exhibited each of the DAISY criteria, out of her own good nature:
She has been working on a special case, assisting a young child with a very complex diagnosis. Whitney has taken the initiative to help this child, and her family work through a very difficult transition period as new providers are introduced to the child's care. She has worked with the staff on the unit to help them understand the unusual circumstances the family has endured. She has advocated for the patient by collaborating with providers and insisting on better solutions for this patient's care. Most importantly, she has touched the child's life, and made a significant difference in her health care. Whitney possesses the attributes it takes to be an extraordinary nurse, and it comes to her naturally. She has made a difference in many people's lives, as a primary care provider, as a teacher, and as a friend.
Whitney is an exceptional nurse, possessing incredible compassion, respect, justice, stewardship, and excellence. I admire her for her excellence in nursing.
The Core Values of Providence coincide with Whitney's nature, and shine throught the care she gives each of her patients. She treats each person she encounters with utmost respect, regardless of the circumstances. In addition, she is an advocate for the just treatment for every individual under her care. These attributes, combined with her endless compassion for those around her, are among the things that instill trust in her patients. Whitney's commitment to excellence and stewardship is exhibited through her primary patient care, her dedication to educating new nurses, and her participation in education initiatives within the unit.
Whitney makes a conscious effort to employ evidence based practices in every aspect of her care. She consistently references research when explaining interventions to patients and staff. Her dedication to keeping up with recent research and keeping others informed makes her an invaluable member of the pediatric team.
Some of Whitney's strongest qualities are her leadership, and her ability to educate and mentor. She has mentored two students in the year that she has worked on the Pediatric unit. She has a talent for teaching, and extraordinary patience for a learning student. While Whitney will challenge a student's knowledge by asking difficult questions, like a well seasoned professor, she is ready with an explanation and a supportive response. Her teaching skills extend to benefit patients and their families, as well. Whitney's ability to identify areas of need through her thorough assessment comes to her like a second nature. Her willingness to spend time teaching patients and families is limitless. Her colleagues also benefit from her teaching abilities, as they frequently refer to her with questions.
Every nurse aspires to give the right care at the right time to every patient. Among Whitney's many talents, she fosters the ability to assess and identify patient needs in a swift, timely manner. Her ability to prioritize patient needs is without equal. Her patients consistently report their appreciation of her pain management. Physicians know they can count on her judgment to contact them when necessary. Some of the factors that play into her ability to provide the right care at the right time are good judgment, thorough assessment, and effective time management.
Multidisciplinary collaboration is very important to Whitney's plan of care. She makes a point to communicate with several different disciplines, as they apply for each individual case. One of the most important lessons I have learned from Whitney is the value of functioning as a team. She is often the first person to stand when she hears a pump alarming, regardless of whose patient it belongs to. Whitney understands that helping your coworkers, even with the simplest tasks, makes a very big difference in the way a unit functions. In addition to individual patient care, she collaborates regularly with committees and case managers. For instance, patient safety is her primary priority. She has been active with the daily "unit safety meetings" and has made several suggestions to enhance patient safety on the pediatric floor.
In conclusion, I would like to add an example of a case, where Whitney has exhibited each of the DAISY criteria, out of her own good nature:
She has been working on a special case, assisting a young child with a very complex diagnosis. Whitney has taken the initiative to help this child, and her family work through a very difficult transition period as new providers are introduced to the child's care. She has worked with the staff on the unit to help them understand the unusual circumstances the family has endured. She has advocated for the patient by collaborating with providers and insisting on better solutions for this patient's care. Most importantly, she has touched the child's life, and made a significant difference in her health care. Whitney possesses the attributes it takes to be an extraordinary nurse, and it comes to her naturally. She has made a difference in many people's lives, as a primary care provider, as a teacher, and as a friend.
Whitney is an exceptional nurse, possessing incredible compassion, respect, justice, stewardship, and excellence. I admire her for her excellence in nursing.