Jessica Rivera, MSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, NPD-BC

We are honored to present this nomination for Jessica Rivera for the DAISY Nurse Educator Award. Serving as the Nurse Educator for 5 South since 2022 while concurrently acting as the Clinical Educator for the Endoscopy Department, Jessica has consistently demonstrated exceptional, indispensable leadership. Her steadfast devotion ensures that every staff member on 5 South receives dedicated guidance to fulfill their clinical, educational, and professional needs.

Jessica takes a proactive, hands-on approach to onboarding new staff from their very first day. To ensure a seamless onboarding experience, she develops detailed class schedules for incoming registered nurses, covering all necessary unit, site, and network orientation dates, and distributes them directly to both the employee and unit leadership. By introducing herself in person during site orientation, she immediately establishes a warm, approachable connection so new team members feel welcomed and supported from day one.

Throughout their orientation, Jessica conducts routine check-ins to monitor milestones, address questions, and confirm the completion of all required education and documentation. When coordinating experience days for the Nurse Residency program, she tailors schedules to align with each nurse's personal clinical interests, maintaining continuous oversight to resolve any obstacles and ensure their successful completion and graduation.

Beyond her critical contributions to onboarding, Jessica consistently engages with the entire staff to promote unit-wide excellence and open communication. She regularly attends daily 5 South huddles as well as unit meetings to deliver vital updates from essential departments such as EPIC, pharmacy, and professional development. Furthermore, she keeps both unit leadership and team members informed of upcoming HMH policy modifications well in advance, enabling the entire team to anticipate operational changes, prepare effectively, and ask clarifying questions.

As an invaluable subject matter expert on policy and procedure, Jessica actively creates accessible resources to support staff during both routine operations and unexpected challenges. She has organized comprehensive paper binders for frequently used policies to ensure seamless clinical workflow and continuous access during internet downtimes and outages. Recognizing that certain complex procedures require additional clarification, she also created quick-reference binders for clinical topics like restraints and PCA pumps to assist with accurate nursing documentation and compliance.

When a knowledge deficit was identified among registered nurses due to the infrequency of central venous access device usage, Jessica proactively attended the unit meeting. She brought all the necessary supplies and tools to provide hands-on re-education covering central lines, proper dressing changes, and flushing techniques, directly reinforcing best practices and clinical confidence across the team.

A committed lifelong learner pursuing a doctoral degree at Monmouth University, Jessica consistently integrates contemporary evidence-based practices and clinical research to advance patient care standards on 5 South. Furthermore, she served as a key contributor to research investigating the overutilization of external catheters and assisted in formulating an algorithmic protocol to govern clinical indications. This initiative significantly enhanced staff education, streamlined clinical decision-making processes, and successfully reduced unwarranted external catheter utilization across the institution.

Furthermore, Jessica was published this year for her article related to research involving exposures and aerosolization of biohazardous materials to protect personnel. Her commitment to research and evidence-based practice is impressive and inspirational.

While all of these achievements highlight why Jessica is an exceptional clinical resource and an exemplary role model, what truly sets her apart from her peers is her natural and inspiring leadership style. What Larry, Kim, and I recognize-drawing from our perspectives as current nurse leaders and former bedside nurses-is her unwavering willingness to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us to lead, empower, and advocate for our team every single day.

First, whenever she is available on the unit, Jessica immediately responds directly to rapid responses, codes, or other patient emergencies. Her reassuring presence brings instant structure to high-stress scenarios, ensuring seamless clinical coordination, precise real-time documentation, and steady emotional support for the entire team.

Whether she is calmly offering step-by-step guidance to a novice registered nurse experiencing their very first rapid response or adeptly utilizing the EPIC code narrator to ensure proper documentation, Jessica serves as an indispensable resource and symbol of trust for our team during critical bedside moments.

Furthermore, Jessica is deeply and genuinely invested in the long-term personal growth and professional success of every single colleague on 5 South. She actively encourages PCTs and staff RNs to advance their skill sets by enrolling in preceptor courses, personally guides nurses through complex CAP projects with dedicated hands-on assistance, and continuously monitors eligibility so that team members are proactively notified, registered, and thoroughly prepared for national professional certification exams.

She takes immense personal pride in highlighting and celebrating each individual's milestones, fostering a supportive, inclusive environment where our entire team feels deeply valued, recognized, and empowered-making her a truly vital and cherished partner in our shared nursing leadership work.