Linda Risner
February 2021
Linda
Risner
,
RN
Operating Room
Southern Tennessee Regional Health System-Lawrenceburg
Lawrenceburg
,
TN

 

 

 

Linda did all the charges, made sure the OR was efficient, kept the staff working as a team, and we can say she single-handedly kept all the OR working as it should.
Over the last 9 months, Linda has shown an extraordinary will of not only living our mission of "Making Communities Healthier" but demonstrating this in her everyday work life. Here is why I say that for several months she was the only experienced FT nurse in the OR Circulator position and for several weeks she was the only Circulator working in the OR taking calls. She took calls for two weeks until we could hire someone. She didn't complain, she just got the job done and worked day in, day out, coming out to work at night to care for our community. She did all the charges, made sure the OR was efficient, kept the staff working as a team, and we can say she single-handedly kept all the OR working as it should.
Linda precepted all the new staff members, kept the surgeons on task (not an easy feat) but she got it done. Let me tell you about her work ethic in making sure that every patient receives safe care in the OR. She ensures that consents are completed, universal protocol is followed, time outs are done, and the OR is terminally cleaned daily. She provides excellent patient care and advocacy for her patients. She not only knows what should be done, but she also ensures it is done correctly. There are days when she is doing several jobs, pre-op, recovery, and circulating. Linda is an attribute to STRHS-Lawrenceburg.
Let me tell you two quick stories about Linda. Even when her husband was very sick and hospitalized she came to work every day and never said a word. You can see she was stressed, but she did everything to make sure her team was not missing a team-mate. One of her co-workers was on-call and was at one of her children's games. Linda knew this and called the co-worker to let her know that she would come in on-call for her. Nurses that demonstrate such loyalty and commitment to the organization and to our patients and the community is what the DAISY Award is about; honoring those heroes who dedicate their lives to living and embodying the core values of nursing—these are human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice.