Having known Debbie for a long time, I feel that I know her professionally and personally. She uses her knowledge base and longevity to guide new graduates through their orientation. She is always available to them and other nursing staff for questions, assistance and guidance if necessary. Debbie is a real team player, picking up extra shifts, working extra weekend days when the need is there on the 4th floor.
Debbie becomes what the patient needs her to be. If the patient needs a no-nonsense nurse, then Debbie is right there making sure the patient is making progress. She has an abundance of compassion. She will oftentimes become the primary nurse for very difficult hospice patients, willing to creatively manage the patient’s care while making sure the family understands the process and is being cared for as well. Her openness and friendliness have allowed her to know many personnel with the institution, throughout all departments. Returning patients usually ask for her my name.
There have been many times that other units will call ours to ask for assistance with accessing a “port,” or starting an IV, and Debbie is the first person to volunteer, so that now individual units will call and ask for her specifically. The latest that I heard was the 2nd floor called and asked for assistance draining a Pleurx Catheter. Debbie made sure that her patients were covered and went to show the nurses the procedure. I also know of a time, on her off time, when Debbie took prescriptions to the Pharmacy, awaited for the medication and then returned to a patient’s home so they would stay on schedule.