Deirdre Stewart is a nurse that exudes DAISY characteristics every day of her professional life. Her commitment to improving patient care is second to none. I grew up as a child of an Intensive Care Nurse who was great at what she did but her mark on patient care stopped when she stopped practicing. Deirdre’s contributions will outlive her time in the region and I believe that this is the true measure of the success and it is clear that Deirdre’s footprint will last forever in the Middle East. While I could tell you many stories about how her direct contribution has helped individual patients through her work in various projects including implementing the first CPOE facilities in the region, her role in helping King Faisal gain higher awareness in the region from their “child abuse rule” that has impacted several hundred potential child abuse victims or developing the first HIMSS 6 facilities or the many other “firsts” that she has been involved in over the last 20 years, I will focus on the one that moved me and my client leadership the most – bringing the first fully closed loop meds process to fruition at the Corniche Hospital.
When Deirdre was tasked with getting this live in 5 weeks, the risk of the short timeframe did not stop her desire to help the patients and caregivers of the Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi as this was the very same hospital where she spent much of her time as a practicing nurse earlier in her career. The project itself was a success which is evident by the words of the Deputy CEO who indicated in a press release “thanks to the closed-loop medication process, medication is administered at the patient's bedside, ensuring the ‘five rights’ are identified on one single screen: right patient, right medication, right dosage, right time, and right route.” The actual act of creating the closed loop medication process is not the significant part, however, as many have accomplished this over the last several years. What is important is the impact this event has on our population’s belief that medicine administered with the aid of a computer is safer for them and safer for their newborn children. When the first mother was told that the medicine that was being given to her was being checked and confirmed by the Millennium system, she was brought to tears and so was the 25 year veteran client side leadership who was with them. While most of us veterans who have been involved with these things over the years sometimes these events feel ho hum, it is moments like this that demonstrate how important these things are. For some cultures, like ours, this is the magic in the medical process that makes life possible and safe. Actions, like these created by Deirdre, impact our patients emotionally, spiritually and medically today, tomorrow and forever. This is a moment I won’t soon forget and it gives me the lift to keep doing what we are here to do; make life better for our friends and patients around the world.
Deirdre Stewart is in fact worthy of this award many times over and I am proud to have the ability to nominate her for this award.
Nominated by: Michael Pomerance - Cerner Middle East General Manager