Nicole is a shining star who has the unique ability to make patients, families, and co-workers feel better. She is always mentioned during manager rounds, discharge phone calls, and Avatar surveys as the one person who made a significant difference in their hospital experience.
Comments from her patients:
"Our night nurse Nicole was so upbeat and positive. She assisted my husband with our new baby girl Emelia. Taught him how to do a superman swaddle. Loved her!"
"She is very knowledgeable, professional, and respected. Communicated her birth plan well."
"Nicole is exceptional. This experience was great!"
"Everyone was fabulous but Nicole stood out because she was so supportive and calm."
"Nicole was a stand-out care provider. She consistently provided me with all of the support and care that I required during the first part of my labor. Her kindness and thoughtfulness extended to her treatment of my family as well. She went out of her way to provide me with the best possible support and medical care and I felt I had an incredible advocate in her."
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During manager rounding on staff, everyone is asked the question, "Is there anyone that you would like to recognize?" Nicole is consistently mentioned by her co-workers as exceptional. Nicole is always available to help anyone, a great resource for information, a mentor, and a role-model for positivity. Providers often request that Nicole care for their more complicated patients, knowing she will provide clinical excellence along with compassionate care.
Nicole has so many qualities that impress me. I have watched Nicole advocate for her patient with providers so that her patients get every opportunity to have a vaginal birth. Nicole will work tirelessly with her labor patients, changing positions, using balls and other interventions to facilitate birth. Most importantly, Nicole provides the caring and human touch that cannot be taught. Nicole often stays voluntarily after her shift to participate in deliveries of patients she has spent the night caring for. She goes the extra mile for her patients on a consistent basis. She knows no other way to provide care. No matter how difficult her shift, I have never seen Nicole without a smile.
One morning I arrived at work at 6AM and discovered Nicole in the south nursing station with our two new travelers and new staff nurse. Nicole had taken the initiative to spend hours of the night showing the three new nurses the contents of the hemorrhage cart and explaining our hemorrhage protocol. She had also done scavenger hunts in the CBC OR and helped them get familiar with the unit. Nicole was not their preceptor; she just wanted to help them feel safe and comfortable in their new environment. Later, the travelers told me that they had learned more from Nicole that night than they have ever learned from staff in any other traveler position. They were extremely appreciative and thankful.
Nicole is a fantastic preceptor to teach mother-baby nurses to be labor nurses. She has the unique ability to guide and mentor while fostering independence at the same time. She recently advocated for the purchase of a tool that teaches new labor nurses how to do vaginal exams. The nurses lucky enough to have Nicole as a preceptor universally find her to be a superb role model and extraordinary patient and thorough teacher.
Nicole also participates in the CBC peer-interview team, helping CBC select high performers like herself.
Nicole is certainly a CBC's super-star, and deserves this distinction of the DAISY Award. I feel very lucky to have her on the CBC team.
When I was a brand new nurse, she welcomed me with open arms. She has a deep passion for teaching, and it shines through enthusiastically. She is always finding teachable moments for new nurses, laboring women, and new parents. Nicole saw a need for better education on our unit, so she took it upon herself to locate an educational tool and start raising money for our unit to be able to purchase it. Her attention to detail has saved numerous patients' lives. She recently just found a rare abnormality in a newborn that was almost undetectable. Thanks to Nicole's careful detailed assessment and knowledge, even at 4AM, this newborn was able to be transferred to Children's and get the treatment they needed.