Cardiac Specialty Unit Team
December 2020
Cardiac Specialty Unit at
Sentara Obici Hospital
Med/Surg
Sentara Obici Hospital
Suffolk
,
VA
Hayley Winslow, RN; Katherine Waters, RN; Girlie Mae Tumampos, RN; Patricia Tippins, RN; Crystal Tanner, RN; Morgan Stephens, RN; Megan Smith, RN; Chrystal Shumate, RN; Shannon Shelton, RN; Lakendra Shaw, RN; Alexis Scott, RN; Francheska Samuel, LPN; Cathy Riley-Snyder, LPN; Lona Reese, RN; Miranda Phillips, NCP; Emily Perdue, LPN; Desiree Parker, NCP; Alice Palmer, RN; Shamair Nesbitt, AA; Camryn McCartney, NCP; Marie McCarson, RN; Faron Jusino, RN; Christina Jones, NCP; Abbigail Jones, RN; Susan Jernigan, RN; Shelby Jansen, RN; Taylor Henry, RN; Arnetrea Hardy, NCP; Marie Hamlin, NCP; Liz Hamlin, NCP; Annette Hagwood, RN; Jennifer Griggs, NCP; Milanie Gonzales, RN; Tiffany Ferguson, NCP; James DeFranc, NCP; Hilary Custalow, RN; Latonya Croker, NCP; Christina Clayton, RN; Vickie Christoffer, RN; Crystal Burgess-Armel, LPN; Cheryl Brown, NCP; Charlene Brickhouse, RN; LaCretia Boone, NCP, Cynthia Barnes, NCP; Monique Lowry, RN - Unit Manager

 

 

 

The DAISY Award has always been one of the most meaningful ways to recognize deserving nurses for their compassion and commitment to their patients. Oftentimes, one nurse stands out as THAT nurse who is most deserving. COVID opened my eyes to not only THAT nurse but to THOSE nurses that truly deserve the recognition.
2020 has been a year of challenge for all of healthcare; however, I would like to recognize one team that rose to the challenge and continues to show compassion, dedication, and resiliency throughout their 8 months of being known as the respiratory unit. Sentara Obici Hospital's Cardiac Specialty Unit cautiously welcomed the COVID community into their 40-bed unit. They worked tirelessly through two spikes in COVID numbers, oftentimes having a unit full of positive COVID patients and rule outs. They adapted to their changing environment every time the CDC made a recommendation, which was quite often. But, through it all, they did their best to keep each other safe while keeping their patients at the heart of their care. These nurses knew that they were the only ones that could give the tender attention that these patients required due to visitation restrictions.
One example that comes to mind: An MRT was called on a patient who was a FULL code, and unfortunately in distress. The hospitalist reached out to the family, discussed the prognosis and the family decided they wanted to make their mother comfortable; so, the doctor obtained the comfort care order in time for a peaceful heavenly exit. The family understood that they could not be on the unit, as it was the respiratory, COVID rule out unit, but they wanted to be close to the hospital during this time and would sit outside in the rose garden. The team had a wonderful idea to put a large picture of a butterfly in the window so the family could direct their energy to their loved one. The family was able to make it and be outside at the time of her passing. The patient was surrounded by CSU's caring team during her transition. This was a beautiful testimony to the love and compassion that all of us as one team can continue to share with our patients during this challenging time in healthcare.
This was just one story of the extraordinary care the CSU team provides. They truly are a DAISY Team.