Sherri is a dedicated nurse leader and exemplifies the characteristics of a DAISY Nurse Leader. Sherri is a humble and compassionate leader who instills mutual respect among staff and her colleagues. She is kind to all and leads with dignity & respect. She maintains professionalism at all times and encourages continued professional development amongst herself & her team. She holds the NICU to high standards and ensures quality patient care is maintained and that the unit is always survey ready. She works closely with the staff by one-on-one rounding & through UBT and various other committees to seek out staff opinions on unit needs and ways to improve the member experience. She is always available & responsive to staff and families, day & night. She has come in to help staff the unit on numerous occasions, even at 0300 when needs arise. Sherri is an all-around team player and not only helps with NICU initiatives but also elevates the overall MCH leadership team.

Some examples of unit initiatives Sherri has supported include the NICU discharge mural, personalized onesies for NICU graduates, leading efforts for the NICU reunion, supporting parent university, the cuddler program & beside cameras for families. Each of these initiatives is what helps Irvine NICU stand out in care experience with members. 

•    The NICU discharge mural & the personalized onesies allow families the opportunity to celebrate the graduation of their baby from the NICU with a lifelong memento. 
•    The NICU reunion allows members to come back to the hospital and reconnect with their nurses & doctors and celebrate the thriving lives they went on to have after discharging from the NICU. This community service event connects members back to KPOCI, inspires the nursing team & is truly a labor of love that goes above any job requirements.  
•    The Parent university program allows members to receive small group or one on one education away from the bedside focused on NICU specific care. This program elevates parent confidence in caring for their baby after discharge & has saved lives at home. One mother wrote to Kaiser after their baby required CPR at home and credited the success of her skills to the Parent University class that Sherri advocated for and continues to support in funding. 
•    Sherri also helped to endorse the cuddler volunteer program which enables volunteers to be trained to hold premature infants in the NICU when their parents are unable to visit. 
•    She was an advocate for the NICView bedside cameras that allow parents the ability to remotely log in and see their baby in the NICU from home. This helped many families during COVID when they physically could not come to the NICU and be with their baby. 

Sherri is also big on rewards and recognition amongst the NICU team and encourages peer-to-peer feedback, nominations, and collegiality. She ensures NICU team members are meaningfully recognized for the work they do for patients and families. She endorses the NICU Nurse of the Month & NICU Nurse of the Year certificates & gifts for the staff. 

Sherri also helps lead the MCH leadership team meetings to improve workflows between departments and supports each leader in achieving their individual and unit goals. She offers her assistance and help to new managers and overall drives team development through MCH.

Through Sherri's compassionate leadership, she is an example to others. There is no doubt that through her leadership, staff have the tools they need to best care for patients & feel a valued member of the team that in turn helps them provide the best care to their patients. Sherri has been an integral part of the NICU's success over the past five years.