Lashanda Boxill
September 2019
Lashanda
Boxill
,
BSN, RN-BC
Rheumatology
Phoenix Children's Hospital
Phoenix
,
AZ
United States
I have been impressed by the way Lashanda balances holding her staff to high standards of excellence while also being very kind and approachable.
I truly feel this nomination is long overdue, as Lashanda stands out in a number of ways. I initially met Lashanda when I was asked to cover her maternity leave; she was 8 months pregnant. While many would have considered it perfectly justifiable to do the minimum during this physically trying time, she focused intently on training both myself and another nurse to cover the rheumatology department’s nursing needs, as the other nurse on the unit had resigned a few weeks prior. During this time she was training two new nurses, managing the rheumatology unit nursing responsibilities, and managing her own additional supervisory responsibilities all at the same time. I have been impressed by the way Lashanda balances holding her staff to high standards of excellence while also being very kind and approachable. She doesn’t allow her staff to cut corners or take the easy route but requires quality work, including expecting phone calls to be returned within 24 hours. She maintains exceptional nursing skills and competence, has taught me a tremendous amount about IV placement, and helped me countless times with difficult IVs. She also demonstrates a commitment to this unit in years of working here and with her connection to families. Despite having a backseat in patient care since taking on a nursing supervisory role, patients still regularly ask about her and get very excited to see or talk with her. Regardless of her workload, she maintains a calm presence and grace whenever interacting with patients and their families. She is someone who leads by example and makes those around her strive to be better. Because of her past experience in this role, she understands exactly where the possibilities and challenges lie, also understanding personally what needs improvement and what works well.
We had a recent situation where some changes within the management level inhibited our ability to prioritize our workload effectively, she has advocated for us and our patients to be able to both understand and present what changes will not be beneficial. She not only fights for her staff’s clinical needs but also personal wellbeing.
I have experienced some challenging circumstances outside of work during my time in Rheumatology. Lashanda has supported me through this challenging time at great cost to her own workload, often having to cover for me so that I could attend important meetings. She went even further in not only practically assisting, but also encouraging me and offering hope. I have really enjoyed and appreciated my time so far in Rheumatology for a variety of reasons, but Lashanda plays a critical role in making Rheum an exceptional place to work as a nurse.
We had a recent situation where some changes within the management level inhibited our ability to prioritize our workload effectively, she has advocated for us and our patients to be able to both understand and present what changes will not be beneficial. She not only fights for her staff’s clinical needs but also personal wellbeing.
I have experienced some challenging circumstances outside of work during my time in Rheumatology. Lashanda has supported me through this challenging time at great cost to her own workload, often having to cover for me so that I could attend important meetings. She went even further in not only practically assisting, but also encouraging me and offering hope. I have really enjoyed and appreciated my time so far in Rheumatology for a variety of reasons, but Lashanda plays a critical role in making Rheum an exceptional place to work as a nurse.