Melanie Neidhardt is our fearless and exceptional Critical Care Nurse Manager. She exemplifies a Nurse Leader day in and day out. Melanie is always available for her staff by phone, email, text, or carrier pigeon. She makes it a point to stop and check in with each and every one of us at work. As her staff, you are able to have open and trusting conversations with her without judgement, or sometimes even just a listening ear when we are having a difficult shift. Melanie calls in at night to check in on her night staff, and she even comes in on the weekends to help out when we are short-staffed or bring us supplies. Melanie drove 45 minutes on a Sunday morning once to pick up CRRT fluid from Westchester Medical Center and bring it to us for a patient in dire need of emergent dialysis because the fluids were backordered. During times of need, Melanie coordinates ways to help staff, even outside of work. She motivates us daily to work as a team, exemplify exceptional care in our actions, as she does with her own, and overall, to achieve our goals professionally. 

She shows genuine gratitude and dedication to her staff. Last year, for Christmas, she gave her staff hand-sewn heating pads with aromatherapy, which she made herself on her own time. Melanie isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty and is always willing to hop into a room with a patient to assist with patient care or an emergency. Melanie will always respond to a code anywhere in the hospital and demonstrate an air of calmness and organization unprecedented by any. Even the patients praise how interactive and present she is in their care.

Mel comes into work every day with an upbeat and cheerful attitude, and she constantly motivates the staff, even during the most difficult times. Melanie was right there with the staff on the front lines throughout the entirety of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, Melanie took on setting up additional ICUs and staff to nearly quadruple the number of patients for whom we could provide support. At the time, she was nine months pregnant, and she could be found in Covid patient rooms, pushing beds and stretchers, and troubleshooting logistics of how we could take on and manage the massive influx of patients. She was fearless and unwavering in her support for us during one of the most critical moments in healthcare history.

Melanie played a pivotal role in combining the ICU and CCU into one unit when she first became the unit manager. She helped create a culture where teamwork and collaboration are promoted. Most recently, Mel has taken on the role of managing the new CT ICU program and has supported our staff during this expansion and new journey for the organization. She facilitated the transition to cardiac surgery seamlessly and made the surgeons, PAs, and staff feel supported. She catered to the needs of the program without hesitation. Melanie is a true transformational leader; her hard work and dedication to her job do not go unnoticed by her staff. Therefore, as a unit, we believe Melanie should be strongly considered for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.