Cathy Tooker
November 2014
Cathy
Tooker
,
RN
Med/Surg
Harrison Medical Center
Bremerton
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

Cathy has distinguished herself with 32 years of successful nursing experience beginning as a Licensed Vocational Nurse and then transitioning to a RN Acute Care. She began her career at Harrison Medical Center in 1991 and has held numerous leadership positions since that time. As an Assistant Nurse Manager she is responsible for coordinating the care of Medical-Surgical patients and their families on a busy 30 bed unit. Cathy is a natural leader and is looked to for guidance during our most crucial moments. She is visible at all times and creates a better work environment that lends a sense of support to our employees. She helps the staff tailor their efforts to the overall goals of the organization, showing mastery in her understanding in the often subtle line between allowing our nursing staff the room to have moments of personal growth and knowing when to step in to offer more guidance and support.

As a Lead Super User she rearranged her own personal schedule to help insure our staff had the necessary support when needed during the successful implementation of the new hospital wide EMR. She helped develop and coordinate the workflow process and lead the Super User group for 4 West . During the implementation period, she also facilitated and coordinated the unit schedule ensuring that adequate staff were available to maintain quality patient care. At all times, Cathy insured that the safety of our patients came first.

Through her presence she is able to see, hear and feel what the staff is going through. She corrects any rumors, maintains a positive sense of identity, and stays connected with the pulse of the unit. She gives positive and constructive feedback and finds solutions to problems in order to accomplish goals. She continues to promote a healthy work environment and encourages the continuing education of 4 West members by developing curriculum for the unit's yearly staff education days.

Cathy is the facilitator of the 4 West "QuWest" unit council where she is invested in improving the status quo. She has effective communication skills and guides a committed group of council members. She is dedicated to providing excellent patient care, measuring successes, identifying opportunities and incorporating evidence based practices along with creating an atmosphere of collaboration between professional nurses and CNAs who work together as a team to help achieve and sustain outstanding patient and staff satisfaction.

Cathy shows tireless dedication to serving our patients, her peers and our community at large. Harrison Medical Center and the community we serve are better with her in our ranks. Cathy is a shining example of success in the field of nursing and is a pivotal member of the Leadership Team on 4 West.