Kelly is one of the kindest, compassionate, and genuine nurses you will find. She is always professional in her interactions and serves as a role model of our mission and values. She has an excellent relationship with her colleagues, patients, families, and physicians. She creates a positive image each day as she arrives to work with a smile and a kind word for everyone she meets. She is also an advocate for our patients and encourages others to seek continued education and information to support best practices. She shares her knowledge and expertise with our new team members, and with an initial first impression, she demonstrates a nurturing environment.
Kelly is a vital part of our Interventional Services team. She is continually seeking new and intriguing ways to educate. Her recent focus with hands-on drills for various topics such and malignant hyperthermia, local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST), and stroke have provided engagement from all members of the teams to help them find their roles and navigate through these emergent situations. During these drills, opportunities for improvement in processes are always identified and Kelly works to efficiently identify and implement process improvements. Throughout many years in Interventional Services, we've been a part of many critical situations. Kelly is the "calm during the storm." Her calm manner, quick response, and wealth of knowledge and skillsets have provided crucial guidance through these times. I would most definitely attribute Kelly's presence to the positive outcomes of these difficult situations
She has served as a preceptor throughout her career, and as the nurse educator, she plays a significant role in the early development of new, or re-entry nurses to the Interventional team. Not only does she do this for our team, but she also serves as a resource for other areas of our ministry, including ICU, OB, etc. She is often asked to assist with education regarding various procedures, new equipment, change in practices. Support also comes from encouraging words and just in time coaching moments.
If you spend any time in Interventional Services, any patient/family with recurring visits to surgery at SSM-JC will call Kelly by name. She makes a lasting impression on each individual she encounters. She does a phenomenal job educating not only staff but our patients and their families as well. It's heartwarming to see the impact she has on the anxious pre-op patient and family member while they are waiting to go into a procedure. She explains the process including what to expect after the procedure and answers any questions. She is always proactive and planning ahead to ensure the patient/family will have what they need not only while at the hospital but when they are discharged home. She then provides some much-needed distraction by getting to know the patient and the things they enjoy outside of the hospital. Each patient situation is different and Kelly adapts and does this all seamlessly while managing multiple other duties. Kelly is oftentimes circulating in the OR or providing assistance in the pre-post and PACU areas during the day.
She is a true example of a professional, engaged, dedicated, and caring nurse, who on a daily basis displays our values and mission to all those we serve. She participates on several ministry teams, including our Ethics Committee and our Foundation Golf and Tennis Tournament planning committee. Both of these provide support to our patients, team, and community. She implements our mission by holding herself and others accountable to the values implemented many years ago by our founding sisters. As the nurse liaison, her interactions with the patients and families are crucial to their experience, and she is often seen sitting one on one with a family member providing support, comfort, reassurance, and education.
Throughout her 30 year time at SSM, she has been an integral part of our team, and our ministry. She is exceptional in her educator role by being a mentor, coach, and support to many. She continually is providing updates and educational opportunities to enhance our practice. She collaborates with the various team members, physicians, and ancillary teams to ensure we are meeting regulatory standards, and provides insight into various policies and procedures to assure compliance and best practice. Most recently, Kelly has helped us navigate through the COVID Pandemic by assisting with processes, education, policy review, and implementation, and has been an overall asset to the crisis we have all be navigating. After a system review of the Laser program, it was identified that we no longer had a laser safety officer. Kelly was asked and accepted the challenge to get this in place within a short time frame. She completed the course, received her certification, became a member of our safety committee, and is now on a system team to assist with this program. With Kelly's leadership, and collaboration with nursing, and physicians, we recently became the first SSM ministry to obtain the Gold GO CLEAR award for a smoke-free surgical environment. There are many other examples I could share to show how Kelly represents our profession as a nurse, but I would also like to share that she is a true friend to many. Always concerned about their well being, and providing support, a warm smile, gentle touch, and heartwarming presence. When I think of our mission, "Through our exceptional health care services, we reveal the healing presence of God", I think of Kelly.