Renee Fernandez
August 2021
Renee
Fernandez
,
RN
2 West
MaineGeneral Medical Center
Augusta
,
ME
United States
She has a quiet unassuming ease at managing the often competing needs of staff and patients in an environment that can be challenged by variety.
As long as I have worked with Renee Fernandez, I have marveled at her bedside leadership skills and that she has not been recognized as a DAISY Nurse. The reasons are probably multifold. The work of a charge nurse often goes unseen and unknown by patients and their families, yet the support and resources they provide direct care staff cannot be underestimated. Additionally, while staff RNs might finish a shift exhausted and so thankful for help from Renee and shoot her a text of gratitude after, we often forget to publically acknowledge her excellence.
For 3 years I’ve intended to nominate Renee because of the unique qualities she brings to the team on 2 West and our patients. She has a quiet unassuming ease at managing the often competing needs of staff and patients in an environment that can be challenged by variety. From oncology patients receiving life-saving treatment or end of life care to those with cardiac or med-surg diagnoses or substances about or dementia/delirium, Renee knows and uses protocols for every kind of patient. As a result, her coworkers can have utter confidence in her knowledge base, and her ability to switch out for them or be a sounding board.
She embraced her chemotherapy certification and delivers oral chemo/biotherapy off the unit as needed, and provides safety checks on it. She became a WTA and troubleshoots difficult wounds on the unit as well as leading the charge on skin prevalence days.
She knows her nurses’ skill sets and challenges. Renee’s recognition of us as people and not just functions allows her to give genuine, personalized support. She seamlessly slides into the need and never has a judgmental or critical tone when confronting a challenging patient care/nursing situation. She really sees us, rather, “hears” us over Vocera. If I say, “Renee, can you please come to room 219?!” she can read my tone and is there at my elbow as soon as possible. She is flexible, creative, and adept at shifting staffing models to optimize patient care. And she does it with speed (you should see her book it down a hallway!), and graciousness without complaint. I can be my best nursing self and get a lunch break because Renee is there for us all. She’s like that armrest that we always coach patients to reach back for-a support, sometimes unseen but always there at an arm’s reach helping to steady us. I have never seen her lose her cool in 6 years. For these reasons, I would like to recognize Renee as not just a DAISY Nurse but a bouquet of daisies!!
For 3 years I’ve intended to nominate Renee because of the unique qualities she brings to the team on 2 West and our patients. She has a quiet unassuming ease at managing the often competing needs of staff and patients in an environment that can be challenged by variety. From oncology patients receiving life-saving treatment or end of life care to those with cardiac or med-surg diagnoses or substances about or dementia/delirium, Renee knows and uses protocols for every kind of patient. As a result, her coworkers can have utter confidence in her knowledge base, and her ability to switch out for them or be a sounding board.
She embraced her chemotherapy certification and delivers oral chemo/biotherapy off the unit as needed, and provides safety checks on it. She became a WTA and troubleshoots difficult wounds on the unit as well as leading the charge on skin prevalence days.
She knows her nurses’ skill sets and challenges. Renee’s recognition of us as people and not just functions allows her to give genuine, personalized support. She seamlessly slides into the need and never has a judgmental or critical tone when confronting a challenging patient care/nursing situation. She really sees us, rather, “hears” us over Vocera. If I say, “Renee, can you please come to room 219?!” she can read my tone and is there at my elbow as soon as possible. She is flexible, creative, and adept at shifting staffing models to optimize patient care. And she does it with speed (you should see her book it down a hallway!), and graciousness without complaint. I can be my best nursing self and get a lunch break because Renee is there for us all. She’s like that armrest that we always coach patients to reach back for-a support, sometimes unseen but always there at an arm’s reach helping to steady us. I have never seen her lose her cool in 6 years. For these reasons, I would like to recognize Renee as not just a DAISY Nurse but a bouquet of daisies!!