Debra Schissel, RN, CCRP, CPON
Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (Unit)

Describe why this person is an extraordinary nurse:
Deb is an exceptional person and caregiver. She not only provides outstanding family based care, she enthusiastically participates in committees, research and education, recognizes the needs of other team members, and continually brings light and sunshine to those around her with her laugh and positive attitude.

She was a key participant in the development of the Experimental Trials Program (ETP) at Children’s, working closely with Dr Gore to provide nursing input and guidance to ensure optimal patient care and outcomes reporting. ETP allows access to end of the line experimental therapy for children whose other cancer therapies have failed. As one can imagine it is a time of maximum stress for families. Hope is high but reality often dismal. Deb is able to provide physical and emotional support to the patient and family in crisis while maintaining healthy boundaries. She has a gift for seeing the whole picture as well as small details. For example, she often picks up on a subtle concern or need the family has, verifies her observations and communicates the need to physicians. Her advocacy enables these often critical but not verbalized stressors to be addressed. Her compassion, hand-on nursing skills, communication skills, and outstanding family centered nursing care enable patients and families to proceed through their ET therapy with dignity, quality of life, and optimum physical and emotional support. Deb eases their nightmare and helps families obtain the best quality of life possible. Although Deb could delegate the care of her ETP patients to other nurses, she chooses to provide as much of the care herself as possible.

Education is instrumental to Deb’s nursing success. She is continually expanding her own knowledge but more importantly patient/family/staff education is incorporated into her daily care. Deb provides ongoing education to the families, making them a key player in the care process. Knowledge decreases stress and enhances the family’s role as part of the team. It also minimizes adverse reactions, allowing patients and family to recognize early warning signs and to provide optimal self care and intervention. At a time when families can feel so powerless in the face of disease, knowledge can provide them with power. Additionally Deb provides staff with protocol education enabling the best care possible for each patient. Deb participates regularly in departmental continuing education teaching opportunities and teaches an ethics class for the University.

Deb’s contributions to research are huge. She has opened nursing protocols; provides accurate and timely data for ETP and other trials; and follows patient protocols to the letter providing best patient care/outcomes and research outcomes.

Deb is an active participant on the Ethics committee at Children’s, acting as a resource for the entire hospital; the CCBD Sunshine committee providing opportunities for departmental bonding, emotional release activities and staff appreciation; and the Data Safety Monitoring Board for the University as a research subject safety monitor.

No matter what is going on or how stressed the work environment is, Deb is always there for others. She has an infectious laugh; offers a good ear and sounding board to others; offers nurses in the infusion room coverage so they can get away to activities like the hospital holiday luncheon; has a warm hug for those in need; and is constantly nourishing our souls with her good cooking.

Our world would be a much better place if there were more Debs in it!