April 2019
Niki
Salazar
,
BSN, RN
Emergency Department
Banner Ironwood Medical Center
San Tan Valley
,
AZ
United States
I don't know if you've ever experience walking in a room with your child non-responsive on a hospital ED and unable to verbalized what has happened to him. I'm at a loss for words when that day replays in my mind. There are many ways it could have gone, if Niki had let her first impression of my son determine the care he would receive, my son would probably not be with us today.
Niki pulled my son from the car after he had thrown up all over himself and he was unable to get himself into the hospital. Due to Niki's assessment skills and ER experience, she was able to pinpoint that my son was having a neurological impairment. Later we learned it was a subarachnoid cyst that had ruptured.
Being a healthcare provider myself, it would have been easy for anyone to assume the cause of his state to be drug or alcohol induced. It takes an extremely loving and genuine nurse to look past all of his symptoms and continue to care for him like their own child. I feel like Niki took care of him like her own. I love Niki, I feel as if it wasn't for her and expertise, I wouldn't have my son at home today.
Niki's went above and beyond by sending him a gift package filled with treats and puzzles to help with his brain activity and recovery. I will be forever grateful to Niki.
***
I always see Niki go above and beyond with all her patients. Her assessment skills are very quick and she evaluates every patient individually which a huge resource and asset as an ED RN.
I was working with Niki when a 14-year-old presented to the ED with Altered Level of Consciousness, she did not assume anything and quickly asked the right questions to the mother and really looked at the patient in order to evaluate and treat him quickly without assuming anything.
This boy had a brain shift which we found was the cause of his Altered Level of Consciousness. Niki was very thorough with her care and communicated very closely with the ED doctors to give him the best care.
Her care didn't stop there, she continued to follow up with this boy and his family for updates and was willing to donate PTO to the mother, who was a nurse at IW, so she could stay with him longer and not have to worry about taking time off unpaid. She even went out of her way to find out what the boy's favorite things were and made him a gift bag as a present when he got home from the hospital. This is just one of the many stores that Niki has shown true compassion and love for her patients and their families.
Niki pulled my son from the car after he had thrown up all over himself and he was unable to get himself into the hospital. Due to Niki's assessment skills and ER experience, she was able to pinpoint that my son was having a neurological impairment. Later we learned it was a subarachnoid cyst that had ruptured.
Being a healthcare provider myself, it would have been easy for anyone to assume the cause of his state to be drug or alcohol induced. It takes an extremely loving and genuine nurse to look past all of his symptoms and continue to care for him like their own child. I feel like Niki took care of him like her own. I love Niki, I feel as if it wasn't for her and expertise, I wouldn't have my son at home today.
Niki's went above and beyond by sending him a gift package filled with treats and puzzles to help with his brain activity and recovery. I will be forever grateful to Niki.
***
I always see Niki go above and beyond with all her patients. Her assessment skills are very quick and she evaluates every patient individually which a huge resource and asset as an ED RN.
I was working with Niki when a 14-year-old presented to the ED with Altered Level of Consciousness, she did not assume anything and quickly asked the right questions to the mother and really looked at the patient in order to evaluate and treat him quickly without assuming anything.
This boy had a brain shift which we found was the cause of his Altered Level of Consciousness. Niki was very thorough with her care and communicated very closely with the ED doctors to give him the best care.
Her care didn't stop there, she continued to follow up with this boy and his family for updates and was willing to donate PTO to the mother, who was a nurse at IW, so she could stay with him longer and not have to worry about taking time off unpaid. She even went out of her way to find out what the boy's favorite things were and made him a gift bag as a present when he got home from the hospital. This is just one of the many stores that Niki has shown true compassion and love for her patients and their families.