November 2020
Edna M
Brisco
,
MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CENP, CMNL, OCN
Patient Care Services
Emory Decatur Hospital
Decatur
,
GA
United States
Edna’s strengths are her intelligence, compassion for others, ability to teach and manage people, genuine care for people, and leadership.
Edna is one of the most compassionate people that I know, she always has a minute to chat. She never appears flustered, instead walks with her head held high displaying her infectious smile.
“Everything rises and falls on leadership”, John Maxwell. If this statement is true, what must leaders do to ensure the team rises more than it falls? In my opinion, it’s all about leadership attitude and perspective. Great leaders take the time to celebrate small wins and make time to encourage the team while providing protective wings for the team to soar. I think I just described Edna Brisco, ACNO (the big boss lady as I fondly call her). Edna is an authentic, transparent, and highly effective nurse leader. She ensures the team is cohesive through effective communication, supported by checking on team members, and protected by offering a safe space for honest conversation. Edna finds ways to celebrate the team, however, small the accomplishment. She re-directs when needed to ensure potential missed opportunities are captured.
I just completed 3 months at EDH, I’m glad to be on this team. Edna, thank you for your leadership. God bless you for being the authentic you! She is one out of many leaders, but she is EXCEPTIONAL. She is the leader who advocates for the overall safety of patients, staff, and the organization as a whole. She is the leader who leads with transparency. She keeps a clear line of communication and follows through to resolve issues that require her attention. She is the serious leader and the hilarious one. She cries or mourns with her staff as she laughs and parties with them. All in all, she is: Edna Brisco.
***
As a new leader at Emory Decatur Hospital, what is the one thing that impresses me about Edna’s leadership is her corporate knowledge & her willingness to share her knowledge to support leaders. Edna is a great leader and a role model to the staff. I have known Edna for many years and what I like about Edna is her positive disposition. She is always very active and cheerful, even when the days are going very crazy you can still see a smile on Edna’s face. Edna is very approachable. She always gives guidance and support, especially to junior leaders like me. She is a great leader to follow. Also, she empowers you by listening and by valuing your concerns, and appreciating you always.
***
Edna, mi Jefa, is a beautiful person. She is smart. She is fair. Her beauty comes from within, from how she listens to people and enables them to understand if they are mistaken or provide them with her support if they are correct. This smart lady never complains. Just when it seems like there are no other options, she finds ways to create solutions and make things happen. She has a unique ability to get people engaged, and leave a smile on people’s faces before moving on. She listens to others with an open mind and offers them the opportunity to be heard. From staff to visitors, she always makes herself present all the while looking, listening, and asking regardless of whomever it is she encounters in the hallways. For these reasons and her extraordinary leadership skills, kindness, and compassionate spirit, I believe Edna Brisco is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
Although there is much I can say about her both personally and professionally during the years I have worked along her side, she is someone who walks the walk, and I have seen her hands-on in whatever is needed regardless of the task, from cleaning up an incontinent patient, to leading us through a pandemic. She is a nurse through and through and her work ethic, her compassion, and her positive and sunny disposition, serve as a role model and an inspiration to not only nurses but staff overall throughout the organization. As I often remind my children, you must work with those you respect and admire. Edna, you are two for two!
***
Edna is always a shining light for all of us. She lifts us up with her bright smile. She has stood firm but gentle, like a steel magnolia, through the good, bad, and ugly times the DeKalb Operating Unit endured. Always with her calm, supportive demeanor, and with her eyes on how others are doing. Edna’s knowledge is unsurpassed. Her credentials are stellar, and her skills are superb. She is quick-thinking…and with her knowledge of the DOU, she provides practical solutions to challenges presented to her throughout the day. I think she may have been a juggler in a past life because she does so well “keeping all the balls in the air” as she manages her day. She makes it look effortless, regardless of her stress level.
***
Edna was one of the first leaders I met from the DOU. She joined us on the PLAN Council in the early days of getting to know the DOU. I was so looking forward to working with her from the moment I met her. She is an inspiration. She is well-deserving of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. At the beginning of the year, we were full of excitement celebrating The Year of the Nurse and Midwife and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. One of the goals of this year includes celebrating our contributions to improve global health. Little did we know that we will face a significant test of time; The Covid-19 Pandemic. With that being said, we had to make rapid adjustments in our day-to-day work to provide the care needed to compart the pandemic. We had to prioritize our well-being and the well-being of our patients and the organization. During all this time, you have remained a beacon of hope and resilience. Your leadership and expertise have impacted patients, staff, and the organization at large. You have been a role model, continuously promoting growth for those around you. You are selfless, unifying, encouraging, and always seeing the best in everyone around you. Keep up the excellent work. It is with great honor that I recognize Ms. Edna Brisco as a DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
Edna has had a long and distinguished career touching many segments of nursing at Emory Decatur Hospital. I have worked with Edna for over 10 years and during seen her work tirelessly to improve the nursing structure and the delivery of care. Edna’s strengths are her intelligence, compassion for others, ability to teach and manage people, genuine care for people, and leadership. As a direct employee of Edna at Emory Decatur Hospital for the past four years, I witnessed firsthand her compassion, creativity, and leadership. Her compassion was shown as she performed leadership with confidence and with a pleasant attitude. She always has a can-do attitude and sees the “Glass half-full” even when times were not great and goals were not being met. The patients/patient-family/staff whom she comes in contact with often give her accolades for performing her job with a caring attitude, and paying attention to details. Edna’s service to EDH, her commitment to the nursing profession, and her personal focus on continuous improvement makes her a strong choice for this award. She has grown in her leadership roles from a nurse manager to a specialty director, to now the Associate Chief Nursing Officer. She has trusted colleagues, who provided strong support and mentorship, which she has done for countless others over the years. Her willingness to take risks, be innovative and embrace change has provided her community with an extraordinary hospital and served as a model for countless others. It is a privilege to work with a dedicated, intelligent, and compassionate nurse leader. Edna is truly inspirational to other nurse leaders and it is with great honor that I recommend her for this award. Our ACNO-extraordinaire Patient-centered while staff-empowering Mover-and-shaker Humbly-powerful…yet, approachable Soft, yet firm Always positive Always inspiring The inventor of the fine art of volunTELLING Elegant and graceful Simply put, a LEADER I am so proud to have as mine!
“Everything rises and falls on leadership”, John Maxwell. If this statement is true, what must leaders do to ensure the team rises more than it falls? In my opinion, it’s all about leadership attitude and perspective. Great leaders take the time to celebrate small wins and make time to encourage the team while providing protective wings for the team to soar. I think I just described Edna Brisco, ACNO (the big boss lady as I fondly call her). Edna is an authentic, transparent, and highly effective nurse leader. She ensures the team is cohesive through effective communication, supported by checking on team members, and protected by offering a safe space for honest conversation. Edna finds ways to celebrate the team, however, small the accomplishment. She re-directs when needed to ensure potential missed opportunities are captured.
I just completed 3 months at EDH, I’m glad to be on this team. Edna, thank you for your leadership. God bless you for being the authentic you! She is one out of many leaders, but she is EXCEPTIONAL. She is the leader who advocates for the overall safety of patients, staff, and the organization as a whole. She is the leader who leads with transparency. She keeps a clear line of communication and follows through to resolve issues that require her attention. She is the serious leader and the hilarious one. She cries or mourns with her staff as she laughs and parties with them. All in all, she is: Edna Brisco.
***
As a new leader at Emory Decatur Hospital, what is the one thing that impresses me about Edna’s leadership is her corporate knowledge & her willingness to share her knowledge to support leaders. Edna is a great leader and a role model to the staff. I have known Edna for many years and what I like about Edna is her positive disposition. She is always very active and cheerful, even when the days are going very crazy you can still see a smile on Edna’s face. Edna is very approachable. She always gives guidance and support, especially to junior leaders like me. She is a great leader to follow. Also, she empowers you by listening and by valuing your concerns, and appreciating you always.
***
Edna, mi Jefa, is a beautiful person. She is smart. She is fair. Her beauty comes from within, from how she listens to people and enables them to understand if they are mistaken or provide them with her support if they are correct. This smart lady never complains. Just when it seems like there are no other options, she finds ways to create solutions and make things happen. She has a unique ability to get people engaged, and leave a smile on people’s faces before moving on. She listens to others with an open mind and offers them the opportunity to be heard. From staff to visitors, she always makes herself present all the while looking, listening, and asking regardless of whomever it is she encounters in the hallways. For these reasons and her extraordinary leadership skills, kindness, and compassionate spirit, I believe Edna Brisco is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
Although there is much I can say about her both personally and professionally during the years I have worked along her side, she is someone who walks the walk, and I have seen her hands-on in whatever is needed regardless of the task, from cleaning up an incontinent patient, to leading us through a pandemic. She is a nurse through and through and her work ethic, her compassion, and her positive and sunny disposition, serve as a role model and an inspiration to not only nurses but staff overall throughout the organization. As I often remind my children, you must work with those you respect and admire. Edna, you are two for two!
***
Edna is always a shining light for all of us. She lifts us up with her bright smile. She has stood firm but gentle, like a steel magnolia, through the good, bad, and ugly times the DeKalb Operating Unit endured. Always with her calm, supportive demeanor, and with her eyes on how others are doing. Edna’s knowledge is unsurpassed. Her credentials are stellar, and her skills are superb. She is quick-thinking…and with her knowledge of the DOU, she provides practical solutions to challenges presented to her throughout the day. I think she may have been a juggler in a past life because she does so well “keeping all the balls in the air” as she manages her day. She makes it look effortless, regardless of her stress level.
***
Edna was one of the first leaders I met from the DOU. She joined us on the PLAN Council in the early days of getting to know the DOU. I was so looking forward to working with her from the moment I met her. She is an inspiration. She is well-deserving of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. At the beginning of the year, we were full of excitement celebrating The Year of the Nurse and Midwife and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale. One of the goals of this year includes celebrating our contributions to improve global health. Little did we know that we will face a significant test of time; The Covid-19 Pandemic. With that being said, we had to make rapid adjustments in our day-to-day work to provide the care needed to compart the pandemic. We had to prioritize our well-being and the well-being of our patients and the organization. During all this time, you have remained a beacon of hope and resilience. Your leadership and expertise have impacted patients, staff, and the organization at large. You have been a role model, continuously promoting growth for those around you. You are selfless, unifying, encouraging, and always seeing the best in everyone around you. Keep up the excellent work. It is with great honor that I recognize Ms. Edna Brisco as a DAISY Nurse Leader.
***
Edna has had a long and distinguished career touching many segments of nursing at Emory Decatur Hospital. I have worked with Edna for over 10 years and during seen her work tirelessly to improve the nursing structure and the delivery of care. Edna’s strengths are her intelligence, compassion for others, ability to teach and manage people, genuine care for people, and leadership. As a direct employee of Edna at Emory Decatur Hospital for the past four years, I witnessed firsthand her compassion, creativity, and leadership. Her compassion was shown as she performed leadership with confidence and with a pleasant attitude. She always has a can-do attitude and sees the “Glass half-full” even when times were not great and goals were not being met. The patients/patient-family/staff whom she comes in contact with often give her accolades for performing her job with a caring attitude, and paying attention to details. Edna’s service to EDH, her commitment to the nursing profession, and her personal focus on continuous improvement makes her a strong choice for this award. She has grown in her leadership roles from a nurse manager to a specialty director, to now the Associate Chief Nursing Officer. She has trusted colleagues, who provided strong support and mentorship, which she has done for countless others over the years. Her willingness to take risks, be innovative and embrace change has provided her community with an extraordinary hospital and served as a model for countless others. It is a privilege to work with a dedicated, intelligent, and compassionate nurse leader. Edna is truly inspirational to other nurse leaders and it is with great honor that I recommend her for this award. Our ACNO-extraordinaire Patient-centered while staff-empowering Mover-and-shaker Humbly-powerful…yet, approachable Soft, yet firm Always positive Always inspiring The inventor of the fine art of volunTELLING Elegant and graceful Simply put, a LEADER I am so proud to have as mine!