April 2011
Chanda
Mays
,
RN
Medical Stepdown Unit
Prisma Health Richland Hospital
Columbia
,
SC
United States
Chanda Mays Daisy Nomination:
I have worked with Chanda Mays for the last 6.5 years and she always gives 110%. The last weekend I worked with her was a prime example of how she is an outstanding nurse, patient advocate, team player and team leader. She was in charge with 3 patients of her own, and she still checks on all the other nurses throughout the shift. She didn’t eat lunch until 3 p.m. and made sure her co-workers ate first. When doctors come on the unit, they know they can look to her for answers. But what really stood out was what happened at the end of the shift. There were three CT scans ordered late in the shift and the CT rooms were backed up and the hospital was short on transporters. Working on the MSU means that the nurse has to accompany the patient to any procedures. It just so happened that the CT room was ready for these patients at 1930, she stayed and transported all three of the patients. The night shift was also short staffed and she did not want the staff or the patients to suffer or tests to be delayed. She did not clock out until 2130 and had to come back to work at 0700 the next day. She exemplifies what it is to be a great nurse.
One Nurse states: Chanda is in charge almost every weekend and when she is here, I know that I am going to be OK and she is not going to let me have a bad day. This nurse indicated that on one specific shift, there was an irate family member who was very hostile toward the staff, and the pts Physician (who was present). As the Charge Nurse, Chanda quickly got involved, made the visitor comfortable, sat down with him and explained all of the plans, the care delivered and the reasons for specific treatments. She was able to defuse the conflict while supporting and "managing up" the unit staff and the Physician at the same time.
The Unit Secretary noted: “I have never heard her raise her voice and if she is ever angry, you would never see her show it in front of anyone." She has compassion for everyone." Another staff RN states: "She is the go-to person for everything- If you are angry or upset, she can coach you through it and let you know that you are not doing a bad job." "Chanda is able to communicate the importance and seriousness of this job without being insulting or rude." “The Physicians seek her out because they know that they can trust her to find answers to their questions and they know that she is dependable and knows what she is talking about"
One RN shared the following:
"One of my patients was not doing well and Chanda was in charge that day. The family was very upset and struggling to make decisions regarding the feasibility of continuing aggressive care. Chanda stayed with them and explained the choices that they could consider, how Hospice care worked and what the end of life process would be like. The family stated that Chanda really helped them and that she made this process less painful for them. They were very appreciative of the time that she spent with them and the extra effort that she took to help them feel comfortable with their decisions."
Chanda is very much admired by her co-workers. She sets an example of professional, compassionate behavior for them. She understands service recovery and is an advocate for her patients as well as for her co-workers. Other staff strives to be like her in their practice. It is rare to see one person as universally admired by a single group of people the way that Chanda is.
I have worked with Chanda Mays for the last 6.5 years and she always gives 110%. The last weekend I worked with her was a prime example of how she is an outstanding nurse, patient advocate, team player and team leader. She was in charge with 3 patients of her own, and she still checks on all the other nurses throughout the shift. She didn’t eat lunch until 3 p.m. and made sure her co-workers ate first. When doctors come on the unit, they know they can look to her for answers. But what really stood out was what happened at the end of the shift. There were three CT scans ordered late in the shift and the CT rooms were backed up and the hospital was short on transporters. Working on the MSU means that the nurse has to accompany the patient to any procedures. It just so happened that the CT room was ready for these patients at 1930, she stayed and transported all three of the patients. The night shift was also short staffed and she did not want the staff or the patients to suffer or tests to be delayed. She did not clock out until 2130 and had to come back to work at 0700 the next day. She exemplifies what it is to be a great nurse.
One Nurse states: Chanda is in charge almost every weekend and when she is here, I know that I am going to be OK and she is not going to let me have a bad day. This nurse indicated that on one specific shift, there was an irate family member who was very hostile toward the staff, and the pts Physician (who was present). As the Charge Nurse, Chanda quickly got involved, made the visitor comfortable, sat down with him and explained all of the plans, the care delivered and the reasons for specific treatments. She was able to defuse the conflict while supporting and "managing up" the unit staff and the Physician at the same time.
The Unit Secretary noted: “I have never heard her raise her voice and if she is ever angry, you would never see her show it in front of anyone." She has compassion for everyone." Another staff RN states: "She is the go-to person for everything- If you are angry or upset, she can coach you through it and let you know that you are not doing a bad job." "Chanda is able to communicate the importance and seriousness of this job without being insulting or rude." “The Physicians seek her out because they know that they can trust her to find answers to their questions and they know that she is dependable and knows what she is talking about"
One RN shared the following:
"One of my patients was not doing well and Chanda was in charge that day. The family was very upset and struggling to make decisions regarding the feasibility of continuing aggressive care. Chanda stayed with them and explained the choices that they could consider, how Hospice care worked and what the end of life process would be like. The family stated that Chanda really helped them and that she made this process less painful for them. They were very appreciative of the time that she spent with them and the extra effort that she took to help them feel comfortable with their decisions."
Chanda is very much admired by her co-workers. She sets an example of professional, compassionate behavior for them. She understands service recovery and is an advocate for her patients as well as for her co-workers. Other staff strives to be like her in their practice. It is rare to see one person as universally admired by a single group of people the way that Chanda is.