Ashley not only provides compassionate and influential care to her patients and families but also empowers and inspires those around her to follow in her footsteps. In everything Ashley does she exemplifies the mission, vision, and values of Children's. From the moment she enters a room, families feel as though they're being cared for by a friend. Ashley can prioritize tasks and care without appearing rushed. She takes the time to talk with families and make them feel at ease while still accomplishing the many responsibilities of a nurse. The following nomination from a parent is only one example of the impact Ashley makes daily at CHW.
"My son was recently hospitalized at Children's Hospital for almost one month. He was one week old when first admitted, and in his time here had to undergo many procedures, tests, and even surgery for an infection that is not commonly seen in newborns. My husband and I were completely heartbroken and scared watching our newborn go through this, but from the moment Ashley walked into our hospital room after surgery and introduced herself we felt at ease. Ashley is the true example of a nurse who cares about and advocates for her patients. While in surgery there was a miscommunication between the primary care team and the ortho team that resulted in a PICC line being place that was not the ideal size for his course of treatment. Ashley went above and beyond and spoke to her supervisor about the PICC line, sat and talked to my husband and me about the situation, and also got us in contact with someone who would be able to weigh the pros and cons of switching him to the safer, smaller sized PICC line. Also, after surgery, we were visited by many residents, students and attending doctors with conflicting information and opinions regarding his treatment plan/length of stay. Ashley, once again, went above and beyond and spoke to these providers about the need for them to collaborate with each other before coming into the room to speak with us, to cut down on us receiving mixed information about the treatment plan. Within the first 8 hours of having Ashley as our nurse, she proved to be an exceptional care provider who put the patient's best interest at heart. However, Ashley's compassion and excellent nursing did not stop there. Over the course of our three-week stay we requested Ashley as our nurse whenever she was working. She always made sure all of our questions were answered and it truly made us feel safe knowing that she was our nurse. Ashley's diligence and great nursing were not expressed only on a clinical level, she was personable and genuine in her care with not only our son but also with us as parents. Being in the hospital away from your family/support system and normal life for 22 days gets to be very lonely and hard, especially as new parents. Ashley was very personable, would talk to us about everyday life things, and never felt rushed to leave the room. She truly made us feel as if she was a good friend taking care of our son, and we looked forward to her upbeat personality to brighten the otherwise long days we spent in the hospital. I have worked in healthcare side-by-side with nurses for 8 years and never have I encountered a more exceptional."
In addition to providing exceptional care at the bedside, Ashley is a leader within the organization and more importantly on West 12. She regularly serves in the role of relief charge nurse and often precepts new employees. She exemplifies the true qualities of a leader in her everyday interactions. Other employees look to her for advice, using her as a resource, and trust her decision-making skills in both patient care and non-patient care situations. Her upbeat and positive personality is truly contagious. She makes even the most stressful and demanding days enjoyable.
Ashley strives to provide the highest quality of care for all which is apparent by her membership on the Joint Clinical Practice Council. She has served as the West 12 representative for the past two years. As a representative on JCPC she helps review and approve patient care policies. When changes or updates are made Ashley then acts as a resource and helps to enforce new policy change. Ashley concurrently serves on the West 12 Partnership Council where she collaborates with all council members to make an impact on any organization, hospital, and unit specific goals related to practice, quality, and staff engagement and development.
Ashley is passionate and committed to the families we serve. She's the epitome of a team player. She is extremely knowledgeable and always strives to be her best. She handles the demands of nursing with professionalism and compassion at the forefront and is determined to provide the best and safest care every time she slides on a pair of scrubs.