I am currently a nurse on 5 Katz- a 19-bed postpartum unit. About a year and a half ago a young energetic nurse named Shauna was hired for a full-time night position. In the beginning, I didn't really have the opportunity to work with her but about 2 months off her probationary period I had the pleasure of working with her for the first time. One of the first things that I loved about her is her ability to light up a room. She always walks onto the unit with a smile and so much positivity. Our first night together started out slow but started to pick up. I was in charge and had four couplets. About four hours into my shift three out of four couplets started experiencing issues. One patient was experiencing shortness of breath, the baby for another patient had to be transferred to NICU and the last patient was throwing up with a possible ileus. That night it seemed as though everything was occurring at once. Shauna overheard me on the phone with the resident and immediately jumped in to help me. She offered to take charge so I could focus on my patients, she medicated my patients, started an IV for my patient experiencing shortness of breath, she ran and got respiratory supplies and she called the ped's resident for the newborn that had to be transferred to NICU.
I know there are plenty of nurses who would jump in and assist another nurse in need but what made the experience different is that she managed to help me accomplish the task and emotionally cope. For example, our Culture of C.A.R.E at NSUH is a major foundation for patient care. Part of this Culture of C.A.R.E is advocating for our patients. I was having difficulty with getting an OB resident to come to the floor to assess my patient. Shauna noticed this and called the manager for assistance. After expressing our concern to the 1st year resident, 2nd year resident, and manager. The resident finally came to assess the patient. Throughout the night she and I were running around trying to stabilize the chain of events. At one point Shauna stopped me and told me to take a break and eat something. I guess she could tell that I needed a moment to breathe.
As a nurse at North Shore, it is our mission to improve the health and quality of life of our patients but it's also important for us as nurses to take care of ourselves so we can care for our patients. That's what made me realize how compassionate and caring Shauna is! I could continue to describe moments that she has gone the extra mile for her patients and coworkers. For instance, she is always willing to give a helping hand, she takes her time with her patients to ensure that they are comfortable, she is constantly advocating for her patients and fellow coworkers. In addition to this, she is always looking for ways to improve the morale on the unit. She loves participating in and encouraging wellness events such as walks, she helped to organize a healthy potluck for our Magnet Journey, and she is always suggesting ways to improve patient care. She always has the utmost grace and composure - she is truly an extraordinary nurse.