Sarah Walters
August 2017
Sarah
Walters
,
MSN, AOCNP, NP-C GER, CHPN
Cancer Center North Kansas City
The University of Kansas Health System
Kansas City
,
KS
United States

 

 

 

Sarah is an NP who strives to make each patients' experience informative with kindness. If she sees a patient who has come to the department's scheduler window and the patient is in distress or concerned, she will talk to the patient right then. She is able to explain things in a thorough manner and makes sure the patient/family understands. Sarah has an excellent rapport with patients, families, and staff members. She frequently puts patient needs above her own. Sarah has been shown to always put the patient first by switching her schedule to accommodate the patients, to see urgent visits, to be a resource for the Radiation RN. She makes herself readily available to her peers as well as all staff members within the cancer centers.
As the lead Nurse Practitioner for the community cancer centers, Sarah assists with interviewing new NPs, acts as a resource for the NPs and takes time to visit all the community cancer centers to become better. She promotes community activities such as Hope Lodge, CE activities, and nursing organizations. She encourages the NPs to be leaders. When our NKCH clinic NP suddenly decided to relocate to another department, Sarah immediately stepped up and arranged NP coverage for the clinic. Sarah has changed her vacation time more than once to let her peers take the time off. Her peers comment that she is a strong leader and good advocate for the NPs and feel they are heard because of her.
Physicians comment that every interaction with Sarah is positive. She has been very helpful on patient rounds in the hospital and interacted with the IT department at NKCH to give the physicians instruction on Dynamic Documentation. She has been our 02 superuser since 02 began. Sarah works with the call physicians to provide inpatient coverage at the community hospitals and tends to newly diagnosed as well as established patients. She ensures that patients understand next steps for their treatment plans. Sarah voluntarily offered to help the physicians with weekend coverage when there were open call weeks. Sarah does whatever needs to be done for the benefit of the inpatient and outpatient services.
Sarah is always encouraging staff to be more involved. She talks the talk and walks the walk. We are all very lucky to have her at our facility.