Shannon has been the PICU nurse manager for several years now. She exemplifies professional and compassionate leadership. Each unit undergoes difficult times and situations. One of the PICU's most difficult times is the wintertime, also known as peak season. During this time, the employees are stretched thin and are expected to exhibit high performances. A constant full unit, higher patient ratio and overtime are often factors.
Shannon always encourages a work-life balance to ensure that her staff does not experience burn out. Simple things as words of encouragement, tokens of appreciation and even her coming in extra to help maintain safe patient ratios are huge motivating factors to her staff. A leader is only as good as the people that follow and for her to show that she is there to bear the brunt of the workload with her staff speaks mountains of her strong work ethic.
The PICU is probably one of the most difficult units to work in. We see and experience things and situations that no one should have to. Parents are not supposed to experience tragedy, loss or grief of their children, yet she has built an environment of empathy and compassion that it is our goal to provide the best care we can however we can, meeting the mind, body and spirit of patients and their families. She has recently started to organize honor walks for our life gift patients. A tribute to express our gratitude of the selfless act when parents decide to help other families and people in need during their tragedy.
One of my fondest memories was this past summer. We had a beautiful teenage girl that left this earth abruptly and unexpectedly. When there is a life gift patient it is always unknown when they will go to surgery for the donation process. This particular girl was going at 10 pm one evening. Shannon worked all day long to ensure that there would be staff not only from PICU present but from other departments of the hospital present so the patient and family could get the sendoff they deserved. Not only was there a huge turnout that night but Shannon herself came back up to the hospital to be there for the patient and family for the honor walk. Compassion and empathy are definitely not in the job description of a nurse manager but those are two of Shannon's best qualities.
Shannon is often out on the floor, checking on not only the staff but the patients and families as well. She will go above and beyond to ensure everyone's needs are met. She will appear without calling her during difficult and stressful situations, rolling up her sleeves to assist however she can. Although she is not frequent at the bedside practicing, we can trust her in those dire situations. She is knowledgeable and you can trust that she will assist with whatever the need is, whether it be compressions, giving emergent medications, or comforting a family.
She encourages personal and professional growth of every staff member. She provides positive feedback and an environment that you want to succeed in. She listens to feedback and values the staff's opinions highly. During this difficult year of change and unknowns, she has kept a positive outlook and motivates us daily by reminding us why we do what we do. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award. Shannon is an extraordinary leader, exemplifies a servant's spirit, and constantly displays how proud she is of her unit and her team.