Claudine is a compassionate nurse who has excellent clinical and leadership skills. She is a great Charge Nurse and resource to our team and now she is functioning as the Resource Nurse, where she demonstrates her critical thinking skills. She has been instrumental in leading our unit shared leadership and involves all our staff and is very successful in getting everyone to participate. She advocates for our patients to ensure they get excellent care as well as advocating for staff to have safe patient assignments and will relieve and help staff being overwhelmed. Claudine is a preceptor who leads by example and is a role model for staff. She exemplifies excellence, compassion, teamwork, advocacy, critical thinking and always is focused on the patient and family.
One particular night she assisted me with a complicated confused geriatric patient. That particular night we were short-staffed and the patient started becoming more agitated and confused throughout the shift. The patient pulled out her IV and started becoming aggressive with the staff. While doing her rounds, Claudine asked if there was anything that she could assist with. I told her about the current situation that I was dealing with. After assessing the patient for herself she communicated with the physician and the COA for staffing assistance. After several nurses had already attempted to calm the patient down, I was surprised to walk into the room and find the patient calm and laughing with Claudine. The patient stated, "I feel like I have known her for years". To an even bigger surprise, the patient allowed Claudine to start an IV line. She deescalated the situation and stayed to sit with the patient until a sitter was able to arrive.
I don't know if she knows how much a tremendous help she was to me and the patient that night. This is just one example of many. The compassion she exhibits towards her patients always radiates. I have witnessed firsthand how she is able to put patients at ease when she walks into the room. So much so that some of our long-term patients will ask for her by name in the emergency room. On two separate occasions, I have received a call from ER nurses asking if "Claudine is working tonight" because the patient requested her for IV placement.
A good nurse has to be knowledgeable in their field and has to be able to harness their skills to the best of their abilities. However, a great nurse is one who is not only knowledgeable but truly caring and compassionate. These two things cannot be taught. Their care and compassion are easily felt by the patients and witnessed by their peers. Claudine encompasses everything that is required of a true DAISY Nurse.