Sarah Schneider
October 2025
Sarah
Schneider
,
BSN, RN
Intensive Care Unit
Banner North Colorado Medical Center
Greeley
,
CO
United States
I didn't always appreciate this in my early years, but I now know the value of dedicated leaders like Sarah who will go to bat for what is right.
Sarah has been my nurse leader for about 8 years. During that time, she has had the difficult task of managing a busy mixed ICU unit through a pandemic, staff shortages, and the insane changes that have occurred in health care over the last 5 years. This has to be one of the hardest jobs I have ever seen, and I don't think we appreciate the amount of work that goes into the job she does.
She manages the complex needs and wants of her staff, manages budgets, hospital policy, and demands, doctors, patients, and families. She does all this with a bit of patience, grit, attitude, perseverance, and lots of luck. I write this as a night nurse who doesn't always see eye to eye with Sarah, but time and experience have helped me realize that she is the most dedicated manager I have ever met. She loves her job and her ICU, it's her baby, and she defends it and us with everything she has.
I didn't always appreciate this in my early years, but I now know the value of dedicated leaders like Sarah who will go to bat for what is right. I only wish more leaders cared as deeply about the floor they run and the people they impact. I'm grateful for leadership that has proven time and again that they will always be our biggest advocates.
***
I have had many managers in my healthcare experience, but I believe that Sarah shows true leadership. She's been my manager for the past six years, and when we are stretched thin (high census and not enough nurses to cover the needs), she will be the charge nurse for the day instead of the floor nurses having to take three patients or having the charge nurse also be the SWAT nurse. There are also days when the ICU has high acuity patients or a patient who is coding, and she will come help on the floor. Her dedication to the ICU and caring about the wellbeing of her staff make her more than just a manager, but also a frontline nurse leader.
***
Sarah loves her ICU team! Sarah has worked so many on-call hours and would do anything to support her team. She even finds the time to volunteer to help with things like the holiday buffet. Sarah steps up into the charge role as needed without thinking about anything but the team's needs. She is able to remain calm and collected through all of the chaos. She deserves the title on her cup, "Chaos Coordinator." She goes with the flow and does what she can for her "Sophia's".
Thanks for being an awesome Nursing Leader!
She manages the complex needs and wants of her staff, manages budgets, hospital policy, and demands, doctors, patients, and families. She does all this with a bit of patience, grit, attitude, perseverance, and lots of luck. I write this as a night nurse who doesn't always see eye to eye with Sarah, but time and experience have helped me realize that she is the most dedicated manager I have ever met. She loves her job and her ICU, it's her baby, and she defends it and us with everything she has.
I didn't always appreciate this in my early years, but I now know the value of dedicated leaders like Sarah who will go to bat for what is right. I only wish more leaders cared as deeply about the floor they run and the people they impact. I'm grateful for leadership that has proven time and again that they will always be our biggest advocates.
***
I have had many managers in my healthcare experience, but I believe that Sarah shows true leadership. She's been my manager for the past six years, and when we are stretched thin (high census and not enough nurses to cover the needs), she will be the charge nurse for the day instead of the floor nurses having to take three patients or having the charge nurse also be the SWAT nurse. There are also days when the ICU has high acuity patients or a patient who is coding, and she will come help on the floor. Her dedication to the ICU and caring about the wellbeing of her staff make her more than just a manager, but also a frontline nurse leader.
***
Sarah loves her ICU team! Sarah has worked so many on-call hours and would do anything to support her team. She even finds the time to volunteer to help with things like the holiday buffet. Sarah steps up into the charge role as needed without thinking about anything but the team's needs. She is able to remain calm and collected through all of the chaos. She deserves the title on her cup, "Chaos Coordinator." She goes with the flow and does what she can for her "Sophia's".
Thanks for being an awesome Nursing Leader!