Brandy is a wonderful manager who takes the time to get to know her staff, not only as workers but as friends. I came to my area with a little more than a year's experience as a nurse, and she has returned to me the love of my job. She's our biggest supporter and truly cares about her staff. She turned me from a nurse who was questioning if nursing was for me into a nurse who knows this is what I want to do with my life.
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I originally met Brandy when she transferred to my unit as a staff nurse after working on another floor for several years. She was eager to learn and was always looking for ways to improve patient care. She earned respect from her peers and was a role model for others. The patients and their families would often comment on her kindness and competency. She performed her duties with a smile on her face while exemplifying great compassion for others. As Brandy continued her education, she eventually accepted the position of Critical Care Clinical Manager. As most of you know, this is no easy task! These nurses are often labeled as demanding and arrogant. She made it her mission to encourage us and improve relationships with other departments. It takes a village to care for a patient, everyone is important! Recently, Brandy called me to her office to check on my progress after a recent illness. She gave me encouragement and assisted me with future goals. She genuinely listened to my concerns and helped me develop a plan to provide excellent care for my patients. You see, Brandy is not only my boss, but she is also my friend and truly cares about her staff. She listens. She doesn't judge. She sometimes has to count to 10 first and we are blessed to have her as our manager. We don't tell her enough how much we appreciate her. She is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.
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Brandy assisted in setting up a new unit. She was diligent in asking for feedback from the new staff and made sure that we had everything we needed to be a successful new unit.
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Brandy Salazar is the perfect example of a DAISY Nurse Leader. She exhibits many qualities that place her in this elite category. Brandy always takes the time to listen to staff. She always listens to all sides of every story before making any assumptions. This quality is what makes her staff trusting and comfortable in confiding in her. She acts many times as a sounding board for new ideas from her staff. They know she will openly listen and encourage them. Along with listening skills, Brandy is also trustworthy. She not only listens, but the staff trusts her. Trust is not something that is easily earned, however, Brandy makes it seem effortless. She is a cheerleader of growth and development. She always encourages staff to be the best they can be to provide the best care for our patients. Multiple schedule adjustments have been made in the past to accommodate any educational needs. I have never seen her deny any request to attend anything that will assist staff to provide better care to our patients. Brandy promotes staff autonomy. Whether it be a process change to something as simple as changing a bulletin board. She always promotes staff to take the intuitive to improve anything as needed. This quality makes staff feel empowered and an important part of the team. They feel valuable since she trusts their judgment. Patient safety is always her priority. The patient is always at the focus of any scenario. The staff feels comfortable making judgment calls for staffing and other areas based upon this. They know Brandy will always support their decisions if the patient is always placed first. These are just a few qualities that make Brandy a DAISY Nurse Leader.