Casaundra Dotson
July 2017
Casaundra
Dotson
,
BSN, RN, OCN
Cancer Center Radiation Therapy
The University of Kansas Health System
Kansas City
,
KS
United States

 

 

 

There is a big difference between simply doing your job and doing the very best work you can as you do your job. Casaundra exemplifies the "trusting and caring relationship" we strive to create and maintain with our patients. She has been instrumental in arranging and carrying out care and treatment for a patient with a very complicated medical diagnosis and psychiatric history, going above and beyond her role in radiology to assist with day to day care planning, management and other procedures the patient requires. Her support to the patient and the nursing staff on the patient's home unit are true examples of "Excellence In Caring".
Service: Casaundra's service to this particular patient has been amazing, but it's her service to her nursing colleagues that has impressed us the most. The aforementioned patient requires anesthesia daily in order to undergo radiation treatments. Casaundra has taken It upon herself to utilize his sedated time wisely, assisting with port needle changes, skin care and other assessments/treatments knowing that these would be far more cumbersome and traumatizing if they were done while the patient was awake on his home nursing unit. She is supporting and providing excellent service not only to the patient but to the nursing staff on the patient's home unit.
People: Casaundra sets a remarkable example to her peers with regard to how we should be treating one another. She does not have to do the extra work or perform the extra tasks, as a matter of fact, no one asked her to, but she does this of her own choosing, knowing that it helps both her peers and the patient.
Quality: The skin care our patient requires is personal and sensitive. Casaundra understands that in order to do this well, it's best to take advantage of the period of time each day when he is sedated and calm. She is promoting the highest quality of assessment and care for him by taking on additional responsibilities in her role rather than insisting that this is done on the nursing unit when the outcome of care would likely not be tolerated by the patient. Her care provided to the patient extends well beyond what would be expected in radiology services. ·
Sustainability: If Casaundra didn't take it upon herself to seize the very best opportunity to provide care for this patient. there is a very good chance things would need to be repeated, supplies wasted, and certainly a good chance that the patient would be distressed. Casaundra understands the complicated circumstances surrounding the plan of care and is an active member of the care team. By making great use of her time and resources, Casaundra is really being cost-conscious.
Strategic Growth: The patients we serve within our Health System are becoming more and more complex, certainly such is the case with the patient in which Casaundra has taken an active interest. Our commitment to serving the community and delivering the highest quality of care to the most complex patients is a testimony to our mission and vision. Nurses like Casaundra are a big reason for this!