Ashley Balakas

Ashley treats all people with the utmost dignity every day.  When Ashley enters a patient’s room, she lights it up, and makes every family member feel safe and comfortable.  She immediately makes sure her patients and families have all of the extras—blankets, pillows, dvd players, drinks, books, and games.  Clinically, Ashley is amazing as well.  She serves as a model nurse and a resource for new nurses trying to find their way.  She shares her enthusiasm with all staff members.  Ashley’s positive nature is so contagious that you can almost tell whether she is working by feeling out the moods of other staff members present on any given day.  By checking in frequently with every family, Ashley ensures that her families’ needs are all met, all the time.  Nearly every shift, Ashley is mentioned during rounding by families as being extraordinarily helpful.  Ashley is a foundational member of the ED Service Excellence Team, and brings new ideas to every meeting.  She is simply one of those people who make you say, “Boy, did she ever find her calling!”  TCH is so lucky to have Ashley.