Megan came to Lodi Memorial from Washington, where she had her first nursing job. She wanted to return home and at the urging from her Mom, she applied to our ICU. We interviewed her over the phone and knew in just talking to her, thatshe was meant to be here. Her infectious laugh and commitment to patient care come out loud and clear. We could not wait for her to join our team. She has now been here a year and she is a valued member of the team.
This year, Megan joined the Beacon Team of Nurses at NTI in New Orleans. As her Manager it was so exciting and fun for me to watch her experience her first national Critical Care conference. From all the new and improved products that we just needed to have in the ICU, to hearing about all the classes she attended and ideas of how to change our practice.
Megan is all about the patient experience, and making it the best possible here at Lodi Memorial. We had a long-term patient, J, who was vented, trached and unable to move any body parts. The ICU staff became very attached to J and counted it a privilege in taking care of him. Megan believed that J needed to see the outdoors and get some fresh air, so she orchestrated a field trip for J to the ICU patio. For most patents this is no big deal, but for us to get J outside it was a multidisciplinary field trip. From doctors' orders, to figuring out how to get him outside while vented, to fitting the bed through the doors, it was a bit of a project. She measured door openings, bed width, asking if we had a portable vent, and figured out the right staff to make it happen. This experience allowed J fresh air and gave him a sense of freedom and normalcy. After J left the hospital and they relocated him to Modesto, Megan visited him along with several nurses and it meant the world to him and his family.
Megan's commitment to her patient and his family makes us very proud to acknowledge her as a DAISY Nurse!