Rebecca Oosterwyk
May 2019
Rebecca
Oosterwyk
,
RN, BSN
5EH - Med/Surg/Tele
Harborview Medical Center, UW Medicine
Seattle
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

Rebecca is the perfect example of an extraordinary compassionate care provider at Harborview Medical Center. One of the reasons why she is a DAISY Nurse is because of her unique communication style. When patients raise concerns, she pauses her task to listen. She advocates for appropriate interventions and uses closed-loop communication. She treats every single person she talks to with respect, regardless of how they treat her. I seek her out when I have to have difficult conversations with patients because of her ability to be kind, yet honest about care.
In the last year, 5EH was changed to incorporate eight transitional care beds (the TCU). A lot of the patients placed in this unit are unable to leave the hospital because of their lack of ability to care for themselves or difficult behavioral issues. Rebecca volunteered to work in this unit multiple days a week and provided these patients with consistent caregiving, truly embodying the mission of Harborview. I've seen her go above and beyond to improve the quality of life of these patients and her actions show that she is invested in the success of these patients in life, not just in the hospital. Some of these actions include working with an illiterate patient to teach him to use a mediset, continuing to mobilize and work with patients who have otherwise fallen through the cracks, and advocating against unsafe discharge plans.
Lastly, Rebecca's commitment not only to her patients but to her coworkers and her desire to improve 5EH as a whole has directly benefitted patient care. For example, she helped initiate our "days without a fall" campaign to promote patient safety. Additionally, in her role as a charge nurse, she frequently meets with patients and families to ensure that quality care is being provided and help resolve conflict. Rebecca's exemplary communication skills and open-mindedness truly make her an amazing patient advocate, caregiver, and role model!