Heather Wisdom, RN

In my 15 years of nursing, I have never worked for a manager like Heather Wisdom. She is kind, compassionate, and truly understands work-life balance. She doesn't shy away from hard work or jumping in when we are busy and overwhelmed. She meets challenges head-on and thoughtfully considers solutions. Heather seeks out wisdom and collaboration with new processes in our department and truly wants the best for us. Heather Wisdom is what all managers should strive to become. I am so lucky to work for such an amazing leader! She deserves all the DAISY Awards she can get and so much more.

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I would like to nominate our manager, Heather, for the extraordinary care she has for her employees and the patients who come through our unit. She is compassionate, attentive, pitches in to help when it is busy, and genuinely cares about people. She works hard to keep things running efficiently and always has a pleasant, approachable demeanor. She is the main reason I was willing to take on a steep learning curve and return to nursing in a totally different area than I had specialized in for so long. She was willing to give me an opportunity to learn, and I have been very grateful for that. Without her wonderful personality and flexibility that put me at ease, I don’t know if I would have had the courage to do so. She is the best manager I have known in my 27 years of nursing and truly deserves an award and recognition for the outstanding person she is.

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I would like to nominate my manager, Heather, for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. Heather is the best manager an employee could have. She always checks in on us to make sure we have everything we need to care for our patients in the best way possible. She fights for us and our patients, and she is always available for us to bring any concerns or questions to her. She makes sure we know we are never bothering her with concerns and that she will do her best to resolve whatever issue we have, no matter how small. She does not hesitate to escalate issues that concern patient safety to ensure all our patients get the best care. Heather is appreciated more than she will ever know. I am so extremely grateful to have Heather as my manager.

Heather is a shining example of what leadership should be. She is always eager to listen, be present, and help whenever she can. She handles every situation with grace and professionalism. She handles sensitive matters appropriately, communicating clearly and respectfully. The department clearly reflects her strong leadership skills. There was a situation where a doctor made a communication error, and she handled it with care and proficiency to resolve the issue. This is one of the many examples of her proactive nature.

L- Leads by example
E-Excellent listener
A-Advocate for each of us, accommodating to our needs
D- Dynamic and flexible
E- Efficient in problem solving and escalating issues to seek resolution
R- Ready to help us at any moment

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It's hard to name just one situation where Heather made a meaningful difference in patient care. Heather advocates for every patient, every day. She handles every situation with knowledge, grace, and compassion. She makes each of us want to follow in her footsteps. Her leadership cannot be matched. I have never worked with someone quite like Heather. I frequently say that I hope Heather never leaves, because she will have to take us all with her. She has high expectations for our team to deliver the highest level of safe care and is willing to jump into any situation to support us. She works hard to help us all succeed at work, but she also truly cares about each person on our team and our work/life balance.

One situation that sticks out in my head recently involved a patient who did not have a driver. Believe it or not, we hear this quite a bit, but once we educate the patient about the need for a driver and their safety, most can find someone willing to help. This one patient truly had no family, friends, or contacts who could help. Most would have told the patient they needed a ride and moved on... not Heather. Heather worked tirelessly on the phone with every resource she could think of. She ended up arranging for a church to drive him home and assume his care upon arrival to ensure he was safe and well cared for. She is truly the most selfless, strong, compassionate role model and leader that we could ever ask for.

Heather could not be more deserving of this nomination. I have even heard people who are not part of our team seek out her guidance…. And no matter how busy she may be, she has always made time. I feel truly blessed to call her my leader. No matter how bad a day it is, with Heather as our leader, we will march into that battle because she is not only leading us but also by our side and has our backs.