Cheryl Valley is the most thorough, caring, compassionate, selfless nurse I have ever worked with and I have worked with a lot of great nurses. I do not say this lightly. She advocates for her patients, and her co-workers. She specializes in oncology, but any patient she is assigned to, she takes the time to get a full understanding of the patient's diagnosis, any needs they may have, and goes above and beyond to make sure they are met.
I never see her at the desk except to chart. The majority of her day is spent with patients and their families. She does not hesitate to jump up and help her patients, families, or co-workers at a moment's notice. She is a team player and frequently speaks up if she feels an assignment is unsafe for the patients, or too difficult for one nurse. As a charge RN, I appreciate her expertise, her influence, and her input regarding safety and quality care. I see her giving individual based care, for example, Cheryl asks before a procedure, "This is my first opportunity to work with your son. Are there certain ways that work better than others?" She will then accommodate that family's requests. Families respond very well to her and look forward to her caring for their children.
The doctors that work with her make jokes saying "she can never leave!" This tells me that she is a valuable part of this team, and deserves recognition. On top of perfect patient care, she also takes extra time in her week to prepare extensive oncology educational meetings, where she brings snacks and goodies for all who attend. This benefits the unit greatly as the more we know and understand our patients and their diagnosis the better care we can give.
Thank you Cheryl. Everything you do is noticed and appreciated.
Note: This is Cheryl's second DAISY Award!