Megan Alatrista
January 2022
Megan
Alatrista
,
BSN, RN-BC
Resource Team - Acute Care
University of Washington Medical Center
Seattle
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

Megan has a wonderful ability to see the bigger picture and adapt to the current situation.
Megan has been a nurse on the Resource Team since 2012. She is a valued member of our team and a pleasure to work with. She fulfills many roles such as Charge RN, Transport RN, House Supervisor, and Patient Throughput Coordinator. She has been involved in our UPC and the Break/Staffing Committee and has been a mentor to our new grads. Megan is always trying to make the work environment better by asking questions to implement best practice for all staff as well as a safe place for our patients to receive care.

Megan is one of the most well-rounded and knowledgeable nurses I know. She can navigate any patient situation with ease, always knowing the best course of action to solve the problem immediately at hand. She works well with her patients and provides great care. As a resource nurse, it is unfortunate that Megan frequently is not able to care for her patients with continuity, let alone for even the full shift. She gets bustled around the hospital to whichever unit is in greatest need delivering great care everywhere she goes. Perhaps this is what makes Megan a true DAISY Nurse. While she doesn’t necessarily get to dote on her patients in the traditional sense, she is able to effect positive change for so many patients every day. She has a wonderful ability to see the bigger picture and adapt to the current situation. One example is Megan’s enthusiasm for break hygiene. She recognizes that self-care is essential in being able to care for others, quite like the “put your own oxygen mask on first” adage. She is (dare I say) aggressive in making her colleagues give up their phones so they can have a quality break to be better prepared to care for their patients for the remainder of their shifts. She functions in many roles, such as transport and patient flow, which enables her to go to the area of greatest need, problem-solves in real-time, and ensure that nurses are supported and that patients are getting excellent care. She is a teacher, mentor, leader, and friend to many people in our organization. Her impact has a ripple effect such that on any given day, she likely affects the care of dozens of patients, many of whom will never even know what Megan did for them that day.