Role model for compassion and exemplary practice. In the emergency department, I have been privileged to observe our nurse leader in action with a very medically ill but angry, upset, frustrated, and combative patient. She got down right at this patient’s eye level and explained to him in a non-threatening manner just how sick he was and how negatively his current reaction to the emergency department and staff was affecting his blood pressure and pain level. When he wanted to fight with her, she spoke quietly and slowly, using simple, candid, and transparent words the patient could understand. When he was screaming at her that he was in pain, she said, “I understand that you are in pain and you will need to talk to me without screaming and thrashing around so I can understand you and best treat your pain in an accurate and timely manner.” She explained that he needed to settle down to create a safer, more stable situation for both the patient and staff members. The patient became more settled and calmer within minutes. The nurse leader explained what medications may be given and which symptoms they would help reduce so the patient felt more in control of his current situation.

She understood that he was frustrated and reactive but also that he was scared, anxious, and in pain. She repeatedly explained to the patient the need to be calm and talk in a way that they could understand him so they would be able to help him feel better and reduce his frustration, pain, and anxiety.

Role models behavior perceived as extraordinary I have brought my son into the emergency department when he was experiencing panic attacks. My son was so anxious that he was hyperventilating and physically reacting to that. My son is petrified of needles and was vehemently against having needles of any kind. His mind was racing with thoughts of laboratory testing using needles and/or receiving medications of any kind via needles. He was almost crawling out of his skin. Our nurse leader was so understanding with my son. She calmed him down by speaking slowly and quietly. She sat down in a chair next to his bed, not intimidating him by standing over him. She asked him if he could tell her what was causing his increased severe anxiety, when it started increasing, where it started, when it became uncontrollable, and what he was doing. He had to stop, think, and organize his thoughts. As he did this, his breathing slowed, and he had to concentrate on what he wanted to tell our nurse leader. Throughout the emergency department visit, our nurse leader continuously reassured him, held his hand, and slowly repeated the questions until he could understand. She reassured him that they would get him some medicine without the use of needles, but he had to settle down and listen to her so she could understand what was going on with him. Our nurse leader made my son feel like he could calm down and listen to her, and she would be there with him every minute. Eventually he controlled his breathing and was so amazed when his anxiety never revved back up during his emergency department stay.

Creates an environment that fosters care and compassion. She is a natural-born leader and a force to be reckoned with. She assesses the emergency situation and instantly knows how to best manage the patient. She has such an innate understanding of how her patients tick and what kind of personality they possess. She automatically can gauge what the patient needs to get them to cooperate and understand that she is only there for them at that moment. She asks the most important questions and acknowledges their current behavior and personality, which are usually heightened when they are sick, scared, frustrated, or anxious. She understands her patients' concerns and fears. She talks with each patient on a personal level. Patients comprehend and appreciate her compassion for helping them. Her patients react to her demeanor and ability to show them she really just wants to help them feel better.

She interacts with her patients on an individual basis, based on their personalities, literally within 5 minutes of meeting them. She can sense how best to deal with that specific patient in their current medical and emotional situation. She has an amazing ability to perceive the patient in his or her current situation, both medically and personally. She gauges her nursing personality to best deal with the current situation.

She is an advocate for our patients, ensuring their needs and rights are respected. She is trustworthy because she encourages our patients to voice their questions, ensuring their concerns are answered in a way they understand and feel empowered. Our patients feel well respected thanks to her strong communication skills.

Creates an environment in which the attributes of trust, compassion, mutual respect, continued professional development, and ethical behavior are modeled and supported. At our facility, our nurse leader treats coworkers, staff, patients, their family members, physicians, and all health care customers with compassion and respect. The nursing department is our greatest asset here at MMC-Park Falls Hospital. Nursing staff mirrors their leader’s greatest attributes. Our nurse leader’s greatest attributes include compassion, empathy, confidence, strong communication skills, excellent problem-solving abilities, and the ability to stay calm under pressure, all while demonstrating integrity and a commitment to patient advocacy.

Resilience and stamina are key features of her personality. She encourages nursing staff to identify critical problems and difficult situations so they can work together to analyze each one and develop the optimal process or solution. She will sit down with staff to problem-solve in a critical, complex manner to find solutions. She will work with staff to complete a challenging task and then provides positive feedback that results a job well done!

Motivates staff with a shared vision and enthusiasm to achieve better outcomes for themselves and for their patients. Our nurse leader puts her staff and coworkers first. She is the person you call in the middle of the night when your son thinks he has appendicitis and is freaking out. She is always available when staff need an extra hand with patient care. She senses when coworkers need assistance on the phone with a difficult call. She takes over for them and explains to the caller what needs to be done and how to accomplish it. She is extremely professional and has an innate ability to handle the complex situations that arise daily. She always knows when staff just need the candy jar filled with their favorite treats. She understands sometimes staff just need to have someone in their corner to step up and lighten the load. She is mechanically inclined and jumps in to fix equipment for us who don’t know how to begin troubleshooting the error messages or broken part. She will work all night on the med/surg floor when the computers go down, as she knows everything will be chaotic. She will assess the situation and determine the best way to recover from that problem until it can be fixed. She understands the need for flexible staffing and creates a space where her staff understand and commit to the specific daily needs. Her honesty with her staff and patients is one of her strongest qualities. As staff members, we know she is always available when problems and emergency situations arise, whether it be a nursing concern, administrative concern, or a safety concern, as she covers for all departments when situations and questions arise in the absence of other department managers. She listens to staff, takes in all the reasons for the problem, and then can approach it analytically with an understanding of its focus. Our nurse leader and her staff work together as a single army. Their collaboration is clearly evident in their nursing meetings, where they can challenge each other, always work together, and complete the project or overcome the newest concern that day.

Our nurse leader is a lifelong learner and a strong motivator in the nursing field, where practices and procedures are continually changing, evolving, and being updated. She never wavers in her ability to be a mentor, work with her nurses and patients to understand and complete the never-ending challenges in the nursing world today.