April 2026 Honoree
Alex Oliosi, BSN, RN
Alex Oliosi is an unsung hero in the operating room. She is a registered nurse who has worked at Elmhurst Hospital for the past 11 years. About 3-4 years into her career, she insisted on learning how to scrub cases so that she could help when there was a need for surgical technicians. Her passion for nursing and altruistic nature only continues to grow. Through her ambition and dedication, she rose to become a team lead in the E.N.T/ plastics/ podiatry department, and she’s become an invaluable asset to the organization.
As a team lead, she still provides direct patient care while excelling at managing her team. If there’s new technology or equipment we have to learn about, she's one of the first people to make sure we feel comfortable and confident in what we've learned. Whenever there is an issue with supplies or tools we need for the rest of the day, she makes sure it's taken care of before anybody is even aware that it could have been a potential problem. As someone who's known Alex for over 3 years, I can genuinely say her presence inspires enthusiasm and provides sanctuary. Enthusiasm because she motivates her fellow team to tackle challenging cases head-on, and sanctuary because we can always rely on her as a helping hand.
As an operating room nurse, the work we do behind the scenes is often not recognized by patients and families who only get a brief interaction with us. Having had the pleasure of being precepted by Alex, I've witnessed firsthand how she is able to make a family feel comfortable about bringing their loved ones into the operating room, in such a short time frame. During a case when a patient had to be emergently brought back for surgery, she advocated for the patient's religious beliefs and kept the family informed throughout every hour of the case. She frequently does cases with children, and recently worked with a child who had Down Syndrome, who felt safe enough to go into surgery despite being very anxious and afraid of the hospital setting. She goes the extra mile with her patients, and this extends to her team as well.
When I was a new member of the team, I never felt ridiculed or embarrassed for asking Alex the same question multiple times. Anybody who's worked with her can vouch for her patience and kindness. As a newer nurse to the field, I think of the type of nurse I want to become, and I sincerely look to her as a role model of what that is. Alex is, without a doubt, an exceptional nurse and leader.
As a team lead, she still provides direct patient care while excelling at managing her team. If there’s new technology or equipment we have to learn about, she's one of the first people to make sure we feel comfortable and confident in what we've learned. Whenever there is an issue with supplies or tools we need for the rest of the day, she makes sure it's taken care of before anybody is even aware that it could have been a potential problem. As someone who's known Alex for over 3 years, I can genuinely say her presence inspires enthusiasm and provides sanctuary. Enthusiasm because she motivates her fellow team to tackle challenging cases head-on, and sanctuary because we can always rely on her as a helping hand.
As an operating room nurse, the work we do behind the scenes is often not recognized by patients and families who only get a brief interaction with us. Having had the pleasure of being precepted by Alex, I've witnessed firsthand how she is able to make a family feel comfortable about bringing their loved ones into the operating room, in such a short time frame. During a case when a patient had to be emergently brought back for surgery, she advocated for the patient's religious beliefs and kept the family informed throughout every hour of the case. She frequently does cases with children, and recently worked with a child who had Down Syndrome, who felt safe enough to go into surgery despite being very anxious and afraid of the hospital setting. She goes the extra mile with her patients, and this extends to her team as well.
When I was a new member of the team, I never felt ridiculed or embarrassed for asking Alex the same question multiple times. Anybody who's worked with her can vouch for her patience and kindness. As a newer nurse to the field, I think of the type of nurse I want to become, and I sincerely look to her as a role model of what that is. Alex is, without a doubt, an exceptional nurse and leader.
Thank you, Alex, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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