Nikki exemplifies the CHI pillars of compassion and the best place to heal. She continuously works with the most difficult and challenging patients assigned to our Complex Case Management caseload and does so with a smile and an open mind. She is always willing to try suggestions based on the individualized behavioral care plans, even if that means she has to adjust her typical way of doing things. Plus, she does so with a smile.
Nikki has recently had two of our most challenging developmentally delayed patients and has worked wonders with them when nobody else felt safe or comfortable caring and interacting with them. Currently, she has worked not only as a nurse but has volunteered to serve as the 1:1 for a severely developmentally disabled patient with autism who is known to be extremely violent, which often requires multiple staff to care for and meet his needs safely, most often with the use of restraints. She has stepped up and built a rapport with him and his mother in order to provide him stellar care through compassion due to her understanding of her need to adjust to his level of cognition.
From using a "mom tone", to providing him extra processing time, to using the individualized communication picture board, to taking him on walks around the unit to alleviate his frustrations with being cooped up in his room, to playing catch with him in his room, to learning his limited vocabulary and what he means by such words and sharing that with other staff to reduce his frustrations related to his inability to effectively communicate his needs to staff, to singing with him to make him smile.... she has exemplified what it means to provide quality care on an individualized basis through compassion.
This was evident recently during the last multi-agency care conference between the patient's mother, CHI, and DDA in which the mother could not express her gratitude for the care and compassion that Nikki provided her son, and the fact that his mother stated, "I wish all of the staff could be so understanding and compassionate like Nikki. She just gets it and she isn't scared of him for being different." I couldn't have said it better myself!
Nikki is always willing to work collaboratively with the many disciplines and is a fierce advocate for her patients. I enjoy working with her and feel relieved whenever I know she is on my patients' runs because I am confident in her skill-set and ability to adapt to the individual needs of the patient.
Thank you for all you do and the compassion you show even the most challenging of patients. I wouldn't be able to do my job of discharge planning if it wasn't for you, Nikki! I hope this DAISY Nomination demonstrates just how much your work-family/team appreciates you! Keep up the amazing work!