Annette McCoy
June 2015
Annette
Mccoy
,
BSN, RN, CPN
Digestive Health Institute
Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora
,
CO
United States
1st Nomination
Annette McCoy exhibits extraordinary nursing in her role as the level IV program coordinator for the Liver Center in the DHI. Evidence of her extensive knowledge and skill is demonstrated every day through her ability to attend to families that require education for a new diagnosis of liver disease, assisting families to navigate the organization, and community or other organizations if needed (transplant referral and transition of care). Annette advocates for all her families, offering their voice during clinic visits and team meetings and liaisons with PCP to assure families receive care locally in small communities when they cannot come to clinic as often as needed. Sometimes families are unable to do what is asked of them, Annette takes the time to listen, reflect and advocate in a concerned and caring manner - this could be as simple as getting the social worker to help with funds for necessary medications to helping a family pass an NG tube in clinic because they are exhausted or overwhelmed.
One example of Annette's keen sense of triage occurred when a patient was referred to the liver service from Colorado Springs. Initially their referring provider thought the patient's referral was not urgent. Annette reviewed the US and labs and noted a finding on US that indicated this child might have Biliary Atresia (BA). She shared her concern with a liver provider who agreed. The team immediately brought the child up to CHCO where the child was admitted for a further work up and was found to have BA! Timing of diagnosis for BA impacts response to surgery and possible need for immediate transplant. It was Annette's extensive knowledge and triage skills, willingness to share her concerns and immediate follow up with providers and patient that improved the outcome for this patient.
Annette also takes it upon herself to assure new therapies are addressed with policy/procedures, guidelines or protocols to assure standards of care are implemented for patients with liver disease. She develops and implements many patient educational materials and revises policy and procedures too. Annette shares her knowledge and expertise with nursing students, staff nurses and allied health professionals by providing ongoing classes. Annette's knowledge and expertise is recognized nationally as she recently spoke at a national PSC Conference at UCH.
Annette is always thinking of quality improvement and strategizes methods to assure improved outcomes for pediatric liver patients. Annette is involved with the development and implementation of quality improvement projects like the improvement of vitamin D status or nutritional parameters of these patients.
What can you say about an expert nurse who is willing to take risks, look beyond, act proactively, assure continuity and standardization, empathize and provide genuine concern and caring for all of her patients and families? Obviously, Annette is an award winner every day she practices nursing and deserves to be recognized for her outstanding achievements.
...
Exemplifies CHCO Mission and values: As detailed below, Annette exemplifies all aspects of the CHCO mission. She cares for very ill children with grace and kindness. She is always patient with families and has true empathy for what they are going through. Annette strives to give the highest quality of care to her patients with liver disease, continuously educating the families on various aspects of their child's illness. Annette is a lifelong learner and consistently attends CME/ webinars to advance her knowledge of nursing in general and pediatric liver diseases specifically. Annette is also an educator and gives lectures on pediatric liver disease to other staff at CHCO.
Delivers exceptional family centered care and outstanding customer service: Annette is incredibly efficient in working with families of children with liver disease. She notifies the MD in a timely fashion regarding changes in a patient's clinical status; she checks their lab results within 48 hours of them being drawn and communicating results to families within the week. Annette takes pride and ownership in her role as a liver disease nurse specialist. She is very knowledgeable on all common liver diseases and effectively teaches and educates families with every interaction that she has with them, whether on the phone or in clinic.
Collaborates with healthcare team members: I have never seen a nurse work so hard at maintaining positive collaborations within CHCO Peds GI/Hepatology division as well as nationally. She works with team members from other providers (PCPs) clinics in surrounding states (WY, NM, MT) and contacts PCPs on difficult liver disease patients that require weekly "check ins". We have had some very ill patients awaiting transplant in New Mexico that I am sure would not have been properly managed without the input and communication that Annette has had on almost a weekly basis with the PCP in New Mexico.
Models excellent interpersonal skills and has a positive attitude: Annette is always kind and courteous on the phone with families. She displays professional behaviors with staff and faculty, always displaying kindness and respect to others. She stays very calm in stressful situations. Annette has a strong working relationship with hepatologists and with her nurse partner, LoAnn. She clearly functions at a high level within the team and is considered the senior expert for nursing issues related to liver disease.
Annette McCoy exhibits extraordinary nursing in her role as the level IV program coordinator for the Liver Center in the DHI. Evidence of her extensive knowledge and skill is demonstrated every day through her ability to attend to families that require education for a new diagnosis of liver disease, assisting families to navigate the organization, and community or other organizations if needed (transplant referral and transition of care). Annette advocates for all her families, offering their voice during clinic visits and team meetings and liaisons with PCP to assure families receive care locally in small communities when they cannot come to clinic as often as needed. Sometimes families are unable to do what is asked of them, Annette takes the time to listen, reflect and advocate in a concerned and caring manner - this could be as simple as getting the social worker to help with funds for necessary medications to helping a family pass an NG tube in clinic because they are exhausted or overwhelmed.
One example of Annette's keen sense of triage occurred when a patient was referred to the liver service from Colorado Springs. Initially their referring provider thought the patient's referral was not urgent. Annette reviewed the US and labs and noted a finding on US that indicated this child might have Biliary Atresia (BA). She shared her concern with a liver provider who agreed. The team immediately brought the child up to CHCO where the child was admitted for a further work up and was found to have BA! Timing of diagnosis for BA impacts response to surgery and possible need for immediate transplant. It was Annette's extensive knowledge and triage skills, willingness to share her concerns and immediate follow up with providers and patient that improved the outcome for this patient.
Annette also takes it upon herself to assure new therapies are addressed with policy/procedures, guidelines or protocols to assure standards of care are implemented for patients with liver disease. She develops and implements many patient educational materials and revises policy and procedures too. Annette shares her knowledge and expertise with nursing students, staff nurses and allied health professionals by providing ongoing classes. Annette's knowledge and expertise is recognized nationally as she recently spoke at a national PSC Conference at UCH.
Annette is always thinking of quality improvement and strategizes methods to assure improved outcomes for pediatric liver patients. Annette is involved with the development and implementation of quality improvement projects like the improvement of vitamin D status or nutritional parameters of these patients.
What can you say about an expert nurse who is willing to take risks, look beyond, act proactively, assure continuity and standardization, empathize and provide genuine concern and caring for all of her patients and families? Obviously, Annette is an award winner every day she practices nursing and deserves to be recognized for her outstanding achievements.
...
Exemplifies CHCO Mission and values: As detailed below, Annette exemplifies all aspects of the CHCO mission. She cares for very ill children with grace and kindness. She is always patient with families and has true empathy for what they are going through. Annette strives to give the highest quality of care to her patients with liver disease, continuously educating the families on various aspects of their child's illness. Annette is a lifelong learner and consistently attends CME/ webinars to advance her knowledge of nursing in general and pediatric liver diseases specifically. Annette is also an educator and gives lectures on pediatric liver disease to other staff at CHCO.
Delivers exceptional family centered care and outstanding customer service: Annette is incredibly efficient in working with families of children with liver disease. She notifies the MD in a timely fashion regarding changes in a patient's clinical status; she checks their lab results within 48 hours of them being drawn and communicating results to families within the week. Annette takes pride and ownership in her role as a liver disease nurse specialist. She is very knowledgeable on all common liver diseases and effectively teaches and educates families with every interaction that she has with them, whether on the phone or in clinic.
Collaborates with healthcare team members: I have never seen a nurse work so hard at maintaining positive collaborations within CHCO Peds GI/Hepatology division as well as nationally. She works with team members from other providers (PCPs) clinics in surrounding states (WY, NM, MT) and contacts PCPs on difficult liver disease patients that require weekly "check ins". We have had some very ill patients awaiting transplant in New Mexico that I am sure would not have been properly managed without the input and communication that Annette has had on almost a weekly basis with the PCP in New Mexico.
Models excellent interpersonal skills and has a positive attitude: Annette is always kind and courteous on the phone with families. She displays professional behaviors with staff and faculty, always displaying kindness and respect to others. She stays very calm in stressful situations. Annette has a strong working relationship with hepatologists and with her nurse partner, LoAnn. She clearly functions at a high level within the team and is considered the senior expert for nursing issues related to liver disease.