Ruth Morris
January 2018
Ruth
Morris
,
RN
7NS- Pulmonary-Med
University Hospital - Augusta, GA
Augusta
,
GA
United States
Ruth Morris is truly a wonderful nurse. Ruth consistently gets compliments from the staff and patients alike for being helpful, caring, compassionate, and simply a joy to share a workspace with.
One theory widely accepted in recent nursing journals recognizes the importance of nurses taking care of themselves as well as other nurses. In short, Dr. Marion Conti-O'Hare's (2002) theory of the nurse as the wounded healer suggest that we should put more effort into taking care of one another as nurses and as a direct result patient outcome will greatly be improved. I mention this because Ruth consistently gives herself in an effort to care for all of those around her including her patients, fellow nurses, and nursing assistive staff. She is never to busy to stop and help in any way possible. For this reason, she serves as a true leader among her peers. She fully appreciates the power of kindness and humor and extends it to everyone within her reach in order to make their day a little brighter, or their load a bit lighter. It is not unusual to see Ruth glove up and jump in to help anywhere she finds the need. For example, one paralyzed patient had a bout of illness, Ruth could see that the nurse and PCA were growing weary repeatedly changing out soiled bed linens. Ruth stepped in to help out providing the patient with a total bath and additional TLC in the process. Not only did she take on the additional task of caring for a patient not assigned to her but she took the time to care for her fellow nursing aid and nurse to provide them with needed relief.
In addition, she serves as an encourager to those feeling defeated often using her unique sense of humor to lift spirits. Recently, during rounding, I visited Ruth's patient who was admitted for pancreatitis over the holidays. This patient said, "Ruth is one of the kindest people I have ever met". This patient went on to explain, "She made me laugh when I did not think I wanted to laugh, and laughing is very healing when you feel like I do." The lady had additional praises for Ruth and her care but just reiterated how Ruth made the lady feel like she really cared for her as if Ruth was a long-time friend. These comments came as no surprise to me because as mentioned, Ruth characteristically strives to be empathetic, caring and helpful to everyone and demonstrates these same qualities with her co-workers.
Ruth has the reputation of being a team-player and consistently giving of herself. So it was also not of a surprise to hear how she volunteers at Byrd Elementary School, where she assists the kids with fun activities and assists teachers with bulletin boards. She also invests her own personal time and earnings back into our 7th floor in a similar fashion. Whether she is contributing to a Friday-Fun-day potluck or picking up battery operated Christmas lights and festive border to make a new bulletin board glow to everyone's delight. In addition, Ruth collects a stash of crossword puzzles, magazines, word searches, coloring books, colored pencils, and pins to give to restless patients to provide a needed distraction and make them feel more at home. These are all just more examples of how Ruth cares and goes beyond the expected to provide relief in endearing and authentic ways.
These may seem like small gestures but Ruth has truly earned the opportunity for some recognition as she has made a difference in our unit. In the long run, it is the small gestures of our co-workers that make the work-place thrive and encourage the hearts of others to also assert good-will to others in a loop of chain reactions. The culmination of these small gestures contributes to increased work-place civility, satisfaction and ultimately retention of great staff, all of which are positively correlated and influence positive patient outcomes (Conti-O'hare, 2002, 2017). Lastly, Ruth truly lives up to her name which is Hebrew for the word "friend". She truly goes out of her way to care for her patients and co-workers as only a friend would, making her a great asset to our unit and duly worthy of this DAISY Award.
One theory widely accepted in recent nursing journals recognizes the importance of nurses taking care of themselves as well as other nurses. In short, Dr. Marion Conti-O'Hare's (2002) theory of the nurse as the wounded healer suggest that we should put more effort into taking care of one another as nurses and as a direct result patient outcome will greatly be improved. I mention this because Ruth consistently gives herself in an effort to care for all of those around her including her patients, fellow nurses, and nursing assistive staff. She is never to busy to stop and help in any way possible. For this reason, she serves as a true leader among her peers. She fully appreciates the power of kindness and humor and extends it to everyone within her reach in order to make their day a little brighter, or their load a bit lighter. It is not unusual to see Ruth glove up and jump in to help anywhere she finds the need. For example, one paralyzed patient had a bout of illness, Ruth could see that the nurse and PCA were growing weary repeatedly changing out soiled bed linens. Ruth stepped in to help out providing the patient with a total bath and additional TLC in the process. Not only did she take on the additional task of caring for a patient not assigned to her but she took the time to care for her fellow nursing aid and nurse to provide them with needed relief.
In addition, she serves as an encourager to those feeling defeated often using her unique sense of humor to lift spirits. Recently, during rounding, I visited Ruth's patient who was admitted for pancreatitis over the holidays. This patient said, "Ruth is one of the kindest people I have ever met". This patient went on to explain, "She made me laugh when I did not think I wanted to laugh, and laughing is very healing when you feel like I do." The lady had additional praises for Ruth and her care but just reiterated how Ruth made the lady feel like she really cared for her as if Ruth was a long-time friend. These comments came as no surprise to me because as mentioned, Ruth characteristically strives to be empathetic, caring and helpful to everyone and demonstrates these same qualities with her co-workers.
Ruth has the reputation of being a team-player and consistently giving of herself. So it was also not of a surprise to hear how she volunteers at Byrd Elementary School, where she assists the kids with fun activities and assists teachers with bulletin boards. She also invests her own personal time and earnings back into our 7th floor in a similar fashion. Whether she is contributing to a Friday-Fun-day potluck or picking up battery operated Christmas lights and festive border to make a new bulletin board glow to everyone's delight. In addition, Ruth collects a stash of crossword puzzles, magazines, word searches, coloring books, colored pencils, and pins to give to restless patients to provide a needed distraction and make them feel more at home. These are all just more examples of how Ruth cares and goes beyond the expected to provide relief in endearing and authentic ways.
These may seem like small gestures but Ruth has truly earned the opportunity for some recognition as she has made a difference in our unit. In the long run, it is the small gestures of our co-workers that make the work-place thrive and encourage the hearts of others to also assert good-will to others in a loop of chain reactions. The culmination of these small gestures contributes to increased work-place civility, satisfaction and ultimately retention of great staff, all of which are positively correlated and influence positive patient outcomes (Conti-O'hare, 2002, 2017). Lastly, Ruth truly lives up to her name which is Hebrew for the word "friend". She truly goes out of her way to care for her patients and co-workers as only a friend would, making her a great asset to our unit and duly worthy of this DAISY Award.