Sasha is an amazing level four nurse who always strives to become a better at everything she does. She has always dedicated herself to providing the best bedside care and has touched so many lives since becoming a nurse. Sasha has a special heart for our patients and families facing the facts of a difficult diagnosis. She becomes a primary nurse for some of our most challenging patients and really teaches them that they are more than just a diagnosis. She helps them celebrate their strengths and cares for them so deeply that they feel better just when she is around. I know of several families that will forever be touched by her dedication, tender heart, endless compassion and empathy that she shows every shift.
Sasha became a Caritas Coach which required 58 credit hours of learning. Since then she has given countless presentations to other staff and made a true difference in how care is perceived and given by those she has met with. She also takes the time to mentor individual staff using the principles and tools of the Caritas theory so they can also have success as a caring nurse. She is an active member of the Council for Caritas and her dedication and organization is a main factor in the success of this committee. She makes a difference with so many nurses. Recently she gave a presentation about Caritas to a group in the new grad residency program. Here is an example of what those new nurses had to say ..
• I rarely give feedback on presentations but I felt a need to say this was the best New Grad class because of the presentations and presenters.
• It was all valuable. As a new grad it is a lot of jumping through hoops and trying not to mess up. This was refreshing to hear.
• It gave me the opportunity to sit, relax, and remember that it’s okay to have stressful days at work, but in the end, the quality of the positive impact I have on most patients and families is rewarding and out-weighs the negative.

You can see the difference that Sasha is making with these new graduate nurses and many others.
Sasha’s dedication to helping nurses understand that they must take care of themselves better lead her to become a HeartMath trainer last November. HeartMath helps individuals deal with t heir stress so they can decrease the impact it has on their health and overall well being. She is now giving workshops to employees throughout our hospital and network of care sites. She is also continuing her knowledge of this work by taking a heart mastery program on her own time. All of this illustrates how this profession and the nurses she works with have become her life’s work and true passion.
All of this work is an amazing example of the difference that Sasha makes with her peers, I have not even begun to tell the story of how she takes care of her patients. There are two profound examples of this that I would like to share. The first took place with a patient who had an unexplained high heart rate. All the tests had been done and no one was sure what to do. The decision was made to give some ativan. Sasha offered to give the medication, even though this was not her patient, and went to his bedside. Before she even touched the patient Sasha created a healing environment by just slowing down, and appreciating him. She put intention behind the medication and its intended use. Before the medication was given the patient’s heart rate dropped. There was enough of a change that the resident rushed into the room to make sure that he was okay. He was okay because Sasha took the time to care for him in a way that no one else had. She let him know through her presence and heart that he was cared about and it made all the difference.
The second story that illustrates Sasha’s skill as a caring and compassionate nurse involves a teenage girl on our unit. She came in for some pain and had to be taken to surgery quickly after they diagnosed her with a pneumothorax. Sasha had spent the morning with her and as they were getting closer to going to the OR the patients pain and anxiety flared. Sasha gave her some morphine for the pain and helped her relax by being there for her and talking to her about her worries. With the extra care that Sasha gave her she was able to feel less pain and more confidence with her situation. When she woke up from her procedure she looked at the PICU nurse and told her that she needed the same kind of medicine that Sasha gave her on the unit. Sasha did not have any special formula of morphine. The special part of the medicine was the care and empathy that Sasha gave with it. Sasha took the extra time and showed her patient that she cared about her and what was happening in that moment. Something she does consistently with all of her patients.
These are two examples of the work that Sasha does daily with her patients and their families. She refuses to compromise on their care regardless of what is going on around her. She is a truly one of the best nurses we have at the hospital. You can tell that Sasha was meant to be a nurse. Her dedication to this profession is unmatched. She makes the choice everyday to be present with her families and really make them feel cared for and supported. She leads with her heart and is so dedicated to helping other staff see how amazing this profession can be. I have not even begun to mention what an important team member she is on the Pulmonary unit. She is always checking with all the other staff to make sure that they are okay and don’t need help. She teaches them how to manage their stress in the moment and not only survive their shifts but thrive in this profession. She makes a difference with her patients every shift she is here and her continued dedication to being a caring nurse is an amazing example of what a DAISY nurse is.