Brandie Stewart
July 2021
Brandie
Stewart
,
RN
CVICU
Blake Medical Center
Bradenton
,
FL
United States
Brandie came up with an education plan that enabled her to train new nurses with little to no ICU experience, ultimately building a team that safely cares for our patients.
I started at BMC as the VP of Cardiovascular Services, I have had extensive experience managing procedural areas but never nursing units. Not long after starting, I was asked to take over the CVICU and I agreed with a little bit of reluctance and a great deal of fear. Brandie was the manager at that time, she was new, eager, and willing to help me learn this new unit.
A few months later the decision was made to turn the CVICU into the COVID unit. With reluctance Brandie was onboard; with me, she shared her fears but with the staff, she was nothing but positive and a true leader. During this time we lost several staff due to either the fear of working with COVID patients or to the ability to travel and make more money. Even short-staffed and relying on the ICU to help us staff the CVICU she was positive when leading the staff every day. She stayed when they needed her, worked late hours and even night shifts. Once elective surgeries began and the surgeons started performing surgeries again, Brandie had to rebuild the CVICU staff. She has worked diligently recruiting and hiring the staff that she believed she would be able to mold into what the CVICU needed to function again, for CVICU to again become the greatest at taking care of our Cardiac patients.
When I researched the definition of an effective leader what I found was this: “Effective leaders have the ability to communicate well, motivate their team, handle and delegate responsibilities, listen to feedback, and have the flexibility to solve problems in an ever-changing workplace.” This embodies how Brandie practices on a daily basis. When we talk Care Reimagined, Brandie makes a difference every day by “providing compassionate care to those we are privileged to serve.”
Safety:
Brandie came up with an education plan that enabled her to train new nurses with little to no ICU experience, ultimately building a team that safely cares for our patients.
She put together her own educational binders for each nurse and ensured that they all felt welcome, supported, and part of her team.
Brandie has stayed late and worked weekends when staffing was short to ensure we safely care for our patients every day.
Hospitality:
Brandie rounds on her patients or ensures that the CNC rounds on every patient every day.
She takes the time to help new Managers and Directors coming into the organization to make them feel welcome.
Empathy:
During COVID she made room number signs to hang on each CVICU window. This gave families and patients the opportunity to see each other during a dark and difficult time.
Brandie takes the time to get to know all of her employees and because of this they always feel comfortable coming to her when they have issues whether it’s professional or personal.
Efficiency:
Brandie stepped up and helped the ICU when they were in-between leaders.
She quickly learned to manage rounding on their staff, helped with new employees, worked on their goal boards, and made herself available as a resource for the staff anytime they needed assistance.
When able she ensures that her staff gets their lunch break and has been known to order lunch when the staff doesn’t have time to leave the unit.
A few months later the decision was made to turn the CVICU into the COVID unit. With reluctance Brandie was onboard; with me, she shared her fears but with the staff, she was nothing but positive and a true leader. During this time we lost several staff due to either the fear of working with COVID patients or to the ability to travel and make more money. Even short-staffed and relying on the ICU to help us staff the CVICU she was positive when leading the staff every day. She stayed when they needed her, worked late hours and even night shifts. Once elective surgeries began and the surgeons started performing surgeries again, Brandie had to rebuild the CVICU staff. She has worked diligently recruiting and hiring the staff that she believed she would be able to mold into what the CVICU needed to function again, for CVICU to again become the greatest at taking care of our Cardiac patients.
When I researched the definition of an effective leader what I found was this: “Effective leaders have the ability to communicate well, motivate their team, handle and delegate responsibilities, listen to feedback, and have the flexibility to solve problems in an ever-changing workplace.” This embodies how Brandie practices on a daily basis. When we talk Care Reimagined, Brandie makes a difference every day by “providing compassionate care to those we are privileged to serve.”
Safety:
Brandie came up with an education plan that enabled her to train new nurses with little to no ICU experience, ultimately building a team that safely cares for our patients.
She put together her own educational binders for each nurse and ensured that they all felt welcome, supported, and part of her team.
Brandie has stayed late and worked weekends when staffing was short to ensure we safely care for our patients every day.
Hospitality:
Brandie rounds on her patients or ensures that the CNC rounds on every patient every day.
She takes the time to help new Managers and Directors coming into the organization to make them feel welcome.
Empathy:
During COVID she made room number signs to hang on each CVICU window. This gave families and patients the opportunity to see each other during a dark and difficult time.
Brandie takes the time to get to know all of her employees and because of this they always feel comfortable coming to her when they have issues whether it’s professional or personal.
Efficiency:
Brandie stepped up and helped the ICU when they were in-between leaders.
She quickly learned to manage rounding on their staff, helped with new employees, worked on their goal boards, and made herself available as a resource for the staff anytime they needed assistance.
When able she ensures that her staff gets their lunch break and has been known to order lunch when the staff doesn’t have time to leave the unit.