When Rachel Bishop took over as manager of the Infusion Therapy Center – Outpatient (ITC) in November of 2020, none of us knew what to expect. Due to COVID-19 we had moved four times that past year and really did not have a home. But we knew we had a leader as Rachel, who is also the manager of the Cancer Center, took us under her wing. Rachel stopped by daily to check-in and ensure the staff took their breaks. Additionally, she assisted with patient care - wearing scrubs to work because she knew we may be short-staffed. Her extensive knowledge and research in what the Infusion Center can provide patients were needed, and she continues to research and understand treatments that can be given to patients.

Rachel truly is a visionary for this department. Rachel created a My Nursing page for our department and held regular staff meetings where she encouraged us to provide input for the future vision of the ITC. She also anticipated equipment needs such as vein-finders and infusion chairs to better serve both patients and staff Rachel also secured an operations manager and medical director for our department, which was a game-changer. She included our team in many decisions, which built trust, and respect and encouraged development. Rachel helped us grow, and the ITC now places all the PICCs and midlines in house. She also ensured that when infusion therapy moved to the 6th floor of the hospital, we had a designated room for line placements, again a game-changer for the PICC RNs.

When she then took on the COVID Outpatient Treatment Center manager role, we knew this brought on even more challenges for her and for outpatient ITC. Rachel handled the constant challenges professionally. With the daily changes in COVID policy, she stayed connected with hospital leadership, pharmacy, and various committees – and more importantly kept her staff looped. Rachel also led the process to bring to a local nursing home essential monoclonal antibody treatments. Rachel worked to obtain the necessary infusion supplies and along with two other staff members, visited the nursing home to provide this care to their patients.

Rachel is an extraordinary example of servant leadership. She serves her staff by helping on the unit during busy times, advocating for patient safety, or encouraging the self-care of staff during the difficult past two years. Rachel goes above and beyond. What has been most impressive is her ability to manage the needs of patients and the unit, while also compassionately understanding her staff has personal needs at home. We have experienced sick family members, surgeries, and damage to our homes. Like most Mayo employees, the last few years have been difficult at work, but also in our personal lives. Rachel has supported and creatively helped the Infusion Therapy care for patients while also providing staff the time they need to care for themselves and their loved ones. This delicate balance takes relationship-based care to a whole other level.

To close, we have grown as a department tremendously under Rachel’s leadership. She has created an environment of trust, respect, and a high standard of patient care as well as allowing staff to grow and develop – ultimately benefiting our region. She handled so much this past year with professionalism and much grace, not once did we see her overwhelmed and for that, I hope that Rachel is a true DAISY Nurse Leader.