Linda Otting
December 2016
Linda
Otting
,
BSN, RN-BC
Psychiatric Services
Mercy Medical Center
Dubuque
,
IA
United States

 

 

 

I have had the pleasure to work with Linda for close to 30 years and she is one of the most positive people I have ever worked with. When she is in charge, she keeps everything going smoothly no matter how busy we get. She always takes time to thank people she works with and no matter the situation she always finds a way to make it positive. You would think when census is down that things are not as busy, however on PSU it was just the opposite. We started with 11 patients, had 2- 1:1's, and got 6 new admissions in the 8-hour shift. We had 3 direct admits from the office and 3 from ER before 2 pm. Linda had everything organized and kept the unit moving forward at a steady pace with a feeling of controlled chaos. In school we are learning about leaders and qualities that we want to see, and last night I could not stop thinking about the hectic day and kept picturing Linda leading the team. She is honest, hardworking, and trustworthy. She supports staff and advocates for the patients. She is respected by her peers and our providers. She is loyal to our organization. She is not one who wants or even likes attention drawn her way, but I felt compelled to write how fortunate we are to have Linda to work with.
***
Linda functions as the primary first shift charge nurse on PSU. Linda goes above and beyond every single shift. She is not only caring and compassionate to the patients, but she is also unbelievably considerate and helpful to staff members. Linda comes to work each day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is excellent in crisis situations and is always thinking ahead. She remains calm when things get rocky, in fact, other staff members may not even know there are 3 admissions waiting in the ER and 5 discharges because Linda already has it figured out. Her multitasking and organizational skills continue to impress me. It is extremely relieving as a staff member to be working when Linda is in charge because there is very little chaos. She is also so complimentary to staff and is grateful for holding up your fair share of work, she can also tactfully arrange for that to change. Few can exemplify the utmost professionalism, Linda is the true definition of a leader and a nurse. I only hope that staff will look up to me someday, as I look up to her.