Katherine Knightly, RN, Surgical Services is the Daisy Award Winner For Extraordinary Nurses for the 4th quarter, 2010 at CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital in Katy, TX. Katherine was nominated by her entire department.
Katherine is a second career mature RN who came to the Operating Room by choice. She asked if she could be offered a course to learn the Perioperative environment as she had a bit of exposure as a student and thought this would be a good fit for her. Katherine started the course two years ago where it became immediately apparent that she was ready to work hard and commit to being the best she could be.
Katherine is a consummate professional who loves her new profession. She shows all of us every day how dedicated and loyal she is. She models what a good Perioperative Nurse is as she ensures that her patients receive the desired results during surgical interventions, especially when it comes to their utmost safety. Not too long ago Katherine had a patient of spousal abuse, with the abuser with the patient at that time. She was so concerned; she called the social worker to make sure the patient was not accompanied home with the abuser.
She asks questions, if she is uncertain, and often she shares her information with new nurses. She is such a team player, coming outside of her role as Circulator, assisting in the PACU or Day Surgery when schedules are hectic and patient assignments are at the max. She will work extra to lend a hand.
This year she was a preceptor herself and her student excelled. This nurse is now also a new perioperative nurse who learned from our great RN Katherine.