Donna
Quiroz
September 2010
Donna
Quiroz
,
RN, BSN, CPON
Bone Marrow Transplant
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States
Donna Quiroz Named September DAISY Award Winner at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles
Donna Quiroz, RN, BSN, CPON (BMT Unit) has been chosen as September’s winner of The DAISY Award at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Her win was announced during a surprise ceremony on September 2.
Donna now joins the many other nurses who have been similarly honored. Mary Dee Hacker, RN, MBA, vice president, Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, calls our DAISY winners the “Who’s Who of CHLA nursing.”
The following excerpt from Donna’s nomination form tells the story of her dedication to the profession of nursing and the young patients for who she cares: “Donna is an outstanding nurse who is deserving of this recognition. She has been a CHLA nurse since May 1993. As her supervisor and colleague, I have witnessed her superb clinical nursing skills as well as her abilities as a leader, teacher, mentor and patient advocate.
“The knowledge and expertise required to care for acutely ill children who are undergoing bone marrow transplant entail extreme competence and confidence in providing critical oncology care. She has repeatedly demonstrated excellent nursing care for many patients over the years throughout this time-intensive procedure. She is often a key staff nurse who is dedicated and top-notch preceptor and nursing resource. I hear so often that patients and families ‘adore’ her.
“She is a leader on the BMT unit. Her leadership abilities include charge nurse, primary nurse, liaison with team members, and role model of nursing care and documentation, direct patient care routinely or urgently. Her peers and patients are secure, safe and happy when Donna leads the way.
“Additionally, Donna is an awesome teacher and mentor for students and novice nurses on the BMT unit. She graciously, calmly and expertly shares her wealth of knowledge and support to many. She assists staff to integrate and become part of the BMT social team easily. She reassures them when times are tough and has a great sense of humor and positive attitude, which is a strong attribute. She is involved in our national pediatric oncology organization and has participated in many local and national educational endeavors.
“One of her greatest strengths is her passion and role modeling of patient advocacy. This characteristic of Donna’s is perhaps the pivotal reason why I nominated her for this award. Time and time again as she takes the lead primary nurse role for many of our BMT patients, she displays the utmost compassion and dedication to each of them and their families. She is extremely detailed in their day-to-day acute care, orchestrating their ongoing plan of care and communicating and advocating to all health care providers the best quality of care that each of her patients deserve. Whether it involves pain management, nutritional support, chemotherapy administration or social support, she puts forth maximum effort and communication at all times.
“The nurse-patient therapeutic relationship or interaction that I recall often when I see Donna on the unit is related to a long-term patient for whom she cared recently from his admission, readmission and unfortunate death. As I walked through the unit over many weeks and months during this child’s hospitalizations, I would pause and witness Donna’s interactions with this young boy. I would observe her tender touch to his face and head and arms as he was in his ‘swimming pool’ bathtub. I would hear her sweet voice telling him stories and words of love and support. I would see her rocking him in her lap and gently rub his ‘sore’ belly or head as they watched a movie or TV together.
“These were picture perfect moments of what Donna Quiroz and nurses do. Here at CHLA and how extraordinary they are. His parents were not able to be present all the time due to other family responsibilities. Donna recognized from Day One that after a rocky road since his diagnosis and time spent on the 4 East oncology unit that this boy’s experience on BMT would be nothing short of difficult and lengthy. Her care and compassion for this patient was just natural to her and I knew she loved him dearly. In my mind, the truth is told that her care and compassion is extraordinary and unforgettable — and makes me and everyone else remember why we are pediatric oncology nurses.
“Donna Quiroz exemplifies a DAISY nurse and is so deserving of this award. I wish her to join this special group of CHLA nurses.”
Donna Quiroz, RN, BSN, CPON (BMT Unit) has been chosen as September’s winner of The DAISY Award at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Her win was announced during a surprise ceremony on September 2.
Donna now joins the many other nurses who have been similarly honored. Mary Dee Hacker, RN, MBA, vice president, Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, calls our DAISY winners the “Who’s Who of CHLA nursing.”
The following excerpt from Donna’s nomination form tells the story of her dedication to the profession of nursing and the young patients for who she cares: “Donna is an outstanding nurse who is deserving of this recognition. She has been a CHLA nurse since May 1993. As her supervisor and colleague, I have witnessed her superb clinical nursing skills as well as her abilities as a leader, teacher, mentor and patient advocate.
“The knowledge and expertise required to care for acutely ill children who are undergoing bone marrow transplant entail extreme competence and confidence in providing critical oncology care. She has repeatedly demonstrated excellent nursing care for many patients over the years throughout this time-intensive procedure. She is often a key staff nurse who is dedicated and top-notch preceptor and nursing resource. I hear so often that patients and families ‘adore’ her.
“She is a leader on the BMT unit. Her leadership abilities include charge nurse, primary nurse, liaison with team members, and role model of nursing care and documentation, direct patient care routinely or urgently. Her peers and patients are secure, safe and happy when Donna leads the way.
“Additionally, Donna is an awesome teacher and mentor for students and novice nurses on the BMT unit. She graciously, calmly and expertly shares her wealth of knowledge and support to many. She assists staff to integrate and become part of the BMT social team easily. She reassures them when times are tough and has a great sense of humor and positive attitude, which is a strong attribute. She is involved in our national pediatric oncology organization and has participated in many local and national educational endeavors.
“One of her greatest strengths is her passion and role modeling of patient advocacy. This characteristic of Donna’s is perhaps the pivotal reason why I nominated her for this award. Time and time again as she takes the lead primary nurse role for many of our BMT patients, she displays the utmost compassion and dedication to each of them and their families. She is extremely detailed in their day-to-day acute care, orchestrating their ongoing plan of care and communicating and advocating to all health care providers the best quality of care that each of her patients deserve. Whether it involves pain management, nutritional support, chemotherapy administration or social support, she puts forth maximum effort and communication at all times.
“The nurse-patient therapeutic relationship or interaction that I recall often when I see Donna on the unit is related to a long-term patient for whom she cared recently from his admission, readmission and unfortunate death. As I walked through the unit over many weeks and months during this child’s hospitalizations, I would pause and witness Donna’s interactions with this young boy. I would observe her tender touch to his face and head and arms as he was in his ‘swimming pool’ bathtub. I would hear her sweet voice telling him stories and words of love and support. I would see her rocking him in her lap and gently rub his ‘sore’ belly or head as they watched a movie or TV together.
“These were picture perfect moments of what Donna Quiroz and nurses do. Here at CHLA and how extraordinary they are. His parents were not able to be present all the time due to other family responsibilities. Donna recognized from Day One that after a rocky road since his diagnosis and time spent on the 4 East oncology unit that this boy’s experience on BMT would be nothing short of difficult and lengthy. Her care and compassion for this patient was just natural to her and I knew she loved him dearly. In my mind, the truth is told that her care and compassion is extraordinary and unforgettable — and makes me and everyone else remember why we are pediatric oncology nurses.
“Donna Quiroz exemplifies a DAISY nurse and is so deserving of this award. I wish her to join this special group of CHLA nurses.”