May 2025 Honoree
Donna Smyth, RN
"The Right Nurse"
I am writing about an incident that took place at this facility last week, involving one of our Veterans and Donna Smyth, Emergency Department Registered Nurse. I would personally like to commend her timely, appropriate and professional actions, which resulted in the most positive outcome saving the Veteran’s life.
RN Smyth was returning to the Emergency Department from the Intensive Care Unit, after transporting one of the Veterans admitted there, when she came across a person in distress. The Veteran was found crouched down by the Pharmacy & CLC ramp, which, despite his efforts, remained closed, preventing him from returning to his parked car. He was upset, appeared clearly in trouble, complaining of feeling weak, short of breath, and having chest pains.
RN Smyth, true to her ED training, did not panic, completed a primary survey, recognized the need to promptly intervene, called fellow ED staff for assistance, and escorted the Veteran to the ED. Upon arrival, it was determined pt. had a heart rate of 186 BPM and he was in fact in Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) a life threatening cardiac rhythm requiring emergent intervention.
Under the doctor’s and RN Smyth’s expert care, the patient was promptly attended to, medicated, cardiac arrhythmia reversed, his condition stabilized, and he was admitted for further observation.
It was not at all surprising to learn the ED nurse enmeshed in this life-saving action was Donna Smyth: I have been fortunate to have known and worked alongside her for nearly 30 years. Her skills, caring, calm under pressure, kind to a fault nature, make me trust and value her as a fellow nurse and proud to consider her my friend.
Her gestalt, as evidenced by this pertinent, timely clinical intervention is a direct result of her long nursing tenure, bedside experience, and consideration for human life, which make her an invaluable asset to this Emergency Department, our healthcare facility and the Veterans we proudly serve.
Please help me recognize Ms. Smyth, Donna RN, for being the ultimate Emergency Department Nurse. Her outstanding interventions outlined above again proved she made a life-and-death difference by being the Right Nurse, in the Right Place, at the Right Time, for the Right Patient, taking the Right Action, resulting in the Right Veteran Outcome!
I am writing about an incident that took place at this facility last week, involving one of our Veterans and Donna Smyth, Emergency Department Registered Nurse. I would personally like to commend her timely, appropriate and professional actions, which resulted in the most positive outcome saving the Veteran’s life.
RN Smyth was returning to the Emergency Department from the Intensive Care Unit, after transporting one of the Veterans admitted there, when she came across a person in distress. The Veteran was found crouched down by the Pharmacy & CLC ramp, which, despite his efforts, remained closed, preventing him from returning to his parked car. He was upset, appeared clearly in trouble, complaining of feeling weak, short of breath, and having chest pains.
RN Smyth, true to her ED training, did not panic, completed a primary survey, recognized the need to promptly intervene, called fellow ED staff for assistance, and escorted the Veteran to the ED. Upon arrival, it was determined pt. had a heart rate of 186 BPM and he was in fact in Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) a life threatening cardiac rhythm requiring emergent intervention.
Under the doctor’s and RN Smyth’s expert care, the patient was promptly attended to, medicated, cardiac arrhythmia reversed, his condition stabilized, and he was admitted for further observation.
It was not at all surprising to learn the ED nurse enmeshed in this life-saving action was Donna Smyth: I have been fortunate to have known and worked alongside her for nearly 30 years. Her skills, caring, calm under pressure, kind to a fault nature, make me trust and value her as a fellow nurse and proud to consider her my friend.
Her gestalt, as evidenced by this pertinent, timely clinical intervention is a direct result of her long nursing tenure, bedside experience, and consideration for human life, which make her an invaluable asset to this Emergency Department, our healthcare facility and the Veterans we proudly serve.
Please help me recognize Ms. Smyth, Donna RN, for being the ultimate Emergency Department Nurse. Her outstanding interventions outlined above again proved she made a life-and-death difference by being the Right Nurse, in the Right Place, at the Right Time, for the Right Patient, taking the Right Action, resulting in the Right Veteran Outcome!
Thank you, Donna, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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