Joni Goepel exudes every Bayhealth Core Value naturally in her interactions, patient care, and effective leadership skills. Joni leads by example with her Teamwork because of her strong work ethic and inherent desire to ensure each patient experience is a positive one. Joni is the first one in the room when help is needed. Joni will lend a hand not only as a competent Clinical Coordinator in Critical Care but also as a caring coworker who supports her staff every shift, every day. Joni's Integrity is conveyed not only in the honor she has for the care each patient receives, but for the pride she takes in representing Bayhealth standards and then elevating them. Joni is respectful to her team and collaborates intensely with the medical team, always putting the patient at the center of that collaboration. Joni's compassion cannot be matched when it comes to patients and their families. Joni goes above and beyond doing anything in her power to ease a patient's pain, console a loved one, and support her coworkers through tough shifts. I respect Joni's personal accountability for her Clinical Coordinator duties, as well as the multitude of extra duties, councils, and committees Joni participates in to make effective change not just within the Critical Care Unit, but also throughout the organization. Joni also holds others accountable as well, especially regarding patient care and safety, a standard that I have come to admire her for the most! Joni will not accept anything less than 'giving it our all' no matter the task and tackles it head-on, encouraging others along the way to do the same. Leadership by example, 'getting in the trenches' with your fellow nurse, showing, doing, and experiencing everything alongside your team, is what makes Joni a leader! When the staff look to their right or left during trying times in a patient room, and Joni is right there, reassuring you she will help you all the way, that is why she IS Bayhealth Core Values!

Joni Goepel strives to know not only all of the patients every shift in the Critical Care Unit but also their families/visitors and loved ones. Joni truly sees a patient as a whole and knows that it is the little things that add up to big things that make all of the difference in patient experience while hospitalized. As a Clinical Coordinator in the CCU, Joni's role is to know the ins and outs of the day-to-day with patient admissions, diagnosis, and studies occurring, coordinate patient movement, respond to all codes and rapids, and the list could continue. Joni takes it on her own accord to get to know the patients and their families, entering every single patient room multiple times a day, attending to their call bells and needs, having a conversation, or simply soothing a patient in their time of need. Joni has endless compassion at the heart of true nursing.

A specific situation that stands out among the multitude of examples that Joni made a meaningful difference regarding a patient's hospitalization was a particular patient who was in the CCU for many months. This patient had been through so much with illness, ventilator dependency, and eventually a tracheostomy. After fighting multiple infections and almost not making it out of the hospital, this patient eventually recovered, rehabilitated, and actually was able to leave the hospital. This patient returned to the Sussex Campus to visit and show everyone how well they recovered, offering thanks and praise. When I asked what they remembered about their many months in the CCU, their response was:

"Joni and her love for me and my recovery. Joni talked to me even though I could not answer her while I was on the vent. Joni washed my face and taught me to look at myself in the mirror again, and Joni did my hair and even put some of my make-up on so that I could feel like myself again. Joni helped me not feel lost or faded away into my hospital bed. Joni SAW me and helped me see myself again, and I fought because she fought with me, for me, every day; look at me, here I am. Joni is my guardian angel put right where she needed to be when I needed her most; she not only saved my life, she saved me."

When I think about what it means to have a 'Healer's Touch,' I think about the type of nurse, leader, and person Joni Goepel is and what her nursing legacy will be. I believe her legacy is to show us how to see the patient as a whole and care for them unconditionally.