Bette Donaldson
August 2020
Bette
Donaldson
,
RN, ADN, RN-BC
Intensive Care Unit
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Lone Tree
,
CO
United States
On behalf of myself and the Sky Ridge ICU team, we would like to recognize Bette Donaldson with The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award. Bette has been a nurse for over 44 years and every one of these years has been made meaningful by how she interacts with everyone she meets - every day.
Bette has a very diverse and extensive nursing career, she has spent time as a rehab nurse, a bedside ICU nurse, a charge nurse, and for the last 17 years as a clinical nurse coordinator in our ICU.
Bette has worked in the ICU at Sky Ridge since it began as a trailer in the parking lot, 17 years ago. She helped create the Open Heart Cardiac program. She precepted and mentored the cardiac nurses who were then able to go forward and get their Cardiac Certification. During this time, it was not uncommon for Bette to come in on her days off to help to take care of a patient, the staff always knew she was only a call away.
During her career at SRMC, she has helped grow and mentor nurses, doctors, residents, and interns alike. She is the sounding board for many staff and the backbone of the ICU. Since Bette began here, she has seen leadership come and go, and she is the 'constant' that the team has needed to keep things running. Her level of commitment to her team is unprecedented. The team can always count on her to know the answer.
Doing a little math, we figured that during her nursing career she has taken care of over 14,000 patients (+ or - 1 or 2). She has always delivered exemplary care and has been a patient's greatest advocate. But, more importantly, is the care, love, and devotion she gives our staff. She cares for all of our staff with the same motherly love that has helped nurture and grow our new staff into fully functioning high performing nurses. To this day Bette is well respected throughout the hospital.
EVERYBODY knows Bette.
One of the greatest gifts she gives our team is 'the morning huddle'. She starts the huddle with 'word of the day'. All staff are expected to either give an example of the word or create a sentence using the word. I was present for huddle during COVID, the word of the day was 'grateful'. As the staff went around the room using the word it was amazing to see how the demeanor and attitude of the nurses changed. COVID was a very hard time in the unit, but having Bette leading the charge, the staff felt safe, well taken care of, and supported. They know she will always be their advocate and voice. This ICU loves Ms. Bette and all that she represents. We would cherish the opportunity to reward her love and dedication to the staff and the nursing profession by presenting her with The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bette has a very diverse and extensive nursing career, she has spent time as a rehab nurse, a bedside ICU nurse, a charge nurse, and for the last 17 years as a clinical nurse coordinator in our ICU.
Bette has worked in the ICU at Sky Ridge since it began as a trailer in the parking lot, 17 years ago. She helped create the Open Heart Cardiac program. She precepted and mentored the cardiac nurses who were then able to go forward and get their Cardiac Certification. During this time, it was not uncommon for Bette to come in on her days off to help to take care of a patient, the staff always knew she was only a call away.
During her career at SRMC, she has helped grow and mentor nurses, doctors, residents, and interns alike. She is the sounding board for many staff and the backbone of the ICU. Since Bette began here, she has seen leadership come and go, and she is the 'constant' that the team has needed to keep things running. Her level of commitment to her team is unprecedented. The team can always count on her to know the answer.
Doing a little math, we figured that during her nursing career she has taken care of over 14,000 patients (+ or - 1 or 2). She has always delivered exemplary care and has been a patient's greatest advocate. But, more importantly, is the care, love, and devotion she gives our staff. She cares for all of our staff with the same motherly love that has helped nurture and grow our new staff into fully functioning high performing nurses. To this day Bette is well respected throughout the hospital.
EVERYBODY knows Bette.
One of the greatest gifts she gives our team is 'the morning huddle'. She starts the huddle with 'word of the day'. All staff are expected to either give an example of the word or create a sentence using the word. I was present for huddle during COVID, the word of the day was 'grateful'. As the staff went around the room using the word it was amazing to see how the demeanor and attitude of the nurses changed. COVID was a very hard time in the unit, but having Bette leading the charge, the staff felt safe, well taken care of, and supported. They know she will always be their advocate and voice. This ICU loves Ms. Bette and all that she represents. We would cherish the opportunity to reward her love and dedication to the staff and the nursing profession by presenting her with The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.