Lisa Sue Lewis
October 2022
Lisa Sue
Lewis
,
RN
ICU
Salem Health
Salem
,
OR
United States
Lisa developed the now famous “walk of respect” for families of donor patients who are leaving for Salem Health Operating Room or the Portland Donation Center.
The Critical Care Leadership team recognized Lisa’s clinical skills and appointed her to serve on the Rapid Response Team. Lisa is especially skilled with neurosurgery patients in the Intensive Care Unit. She serves as a clinical expert on the Salem Health Donor Collaborative. She can spot clinical and technical problems that need to be addressed in SH order sets, policies, or protocols. Recently she spoke on a panel during Professional Governance Day supporting early recognition of donor potential and collaboration with donor agencies.
One family story illustrates the compassionate connection Lisa makes with families. The patient experienced a life-ending event due to a brain injury. Lisa was careful to create a situation of trust with the patient’s daughter. Hour after hour Lisa gave explanations about what happens when the brain is injured so much that the breathing center dies. The daughter trusted and connected with Lisa. The patient’s daughter asked that Lisa be present for all decision-making discussions with care providers and later with Pacific Northwest Transplant Bank, now known as Cascade Life Alliance.
Lisa Sue Lewis serves as an outstanding example to other nurses as they seek to duplicate her professional skills and exceptional patient-family connections. Lisa exhibits a keen interest in families of unfortunate patients who reach brain or cardiac death during their hospitalization. She is able to navigate the complexities of nursing, medical, emotional, and ethical issues involved within Eye, Tissue and Internal Organ donation. Lisa developed the now famous “walk of respect” for families of donor patients who are leaving for Salem Health Operating Room or the Portland Donation Center. Staff in blue scrubs line the hallways holding lighted candles as the donor, in a hospital bed, followed closely by the patient’s spouse, siblings, and children, slowly move down the hallway. After obtaining permission from all, a recent filmmaker came to Salem to document a “walk of respect” in video. In addition to the walk, Lisa arranges for a Donor flag on the first floor of Building A when a family agrees to internal organ donation. She volunteers at community events, at the local high school where her daughters attend health classes. She hosts quilting events for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses in her home and later the colorful fabric quilt replaces ordinary white sheets during the last hours of life.
Lisa notices when clinical staff are suffering, overburdened by the demands familiar to caregivers of the critically ill. Her roles as Charge Nurse, Rapid Response Nurse give her an opportunity beyond patient care. She often reaches out to those staff who need extra encouragement. Lisa frequently returns to Adult Health units to “debrief with new nurses” following their first code blue event. The critical care Professional Development Specialists invite her to speak at the new hire training classes for ICU on a regular basis.
One family story illustrates the compassionate connection Lisa makes with families. The patient experienced a life-ending event due to a brain injury. Lisa was careful to create a situation of trust with the patient’s daughter. Hour after hour Lisa gave explanations about what happens when the brain is injured so much that the breathing center dies. The daughter trusted and connected with Lisa. The patient’s daughter asked that Lisa be present for all decision-making discussions with care providers and later with Pacific Northwest Transplant Bank, now known as Cascade Life Alliance.
Lisa Sue Lewis serves as an outstanding example to other nurses as they seek to duplicate her professional skills and exceptional patient-family connections. Lisa exhibits a keen interest in families of unfortunate patients who reach brain or cardiac death during their hospitalization. She is able to navigate the complexities of nursing, medical, emotional, and ethical issues involved within Eye, Tissue and Internal Organ donation. Lisa developed the now famous “walk of respect” for families of donor patients who are leaving for Salem Health Operating Room or the Portland Donation Center. Staff in blue scrubs line the hallways holding lighted candles as the donor, in a hospital bed, followed closely by the patient’s spouse, siblings, and children, slowly move down the hallway. After obtaining permission from all, a recent filmmaker came to Salem to document a “walk of respect” in video. In addition to the walk, Lisa arranges for a Donor flag on the first floor of Building A when a family agrees to internal organ donation. She volunteers at community events, at the local high school where her daughters attend health classes. She hosts quilting events for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses in her home and later the colorful fabric quilt replaces ordinary white sheets during the last hours of life.
Lisa notices when clinical staff are suffering, overburdened by the demands familiar to caregivers of the critically ill. Her roles as Charge Nurse, Rapid Response Nurse give her an opportunity beyond patient care. She often reaches out to those staff who need extra encouragement. Lisa frequently returns to Adult Health units to “debrief with new nurses” following their first code blue event. The critical care Professional Development Specialists invite her to speak at the new hire training classes for ICU on a regular basis.