Shevonne Tatham
May 2019
Shevonne
Tatham
,
RPN
Complex Continuing Care
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Toronto
Canada

 

 

 

The DAISY Award is for nurses who are compassionate, extraordinary and skillful - Shevonne is all of those things and more. To work alongside her is to witness her ability to provide a safe space for a parent who is experiencing many emotions (sadness, anger, frustration, fear) and act as a rock and a safe space for that family. She provides strength-based nursing in the most difficult of times - when a family is frightened to suction their newly trached baby, or a parent is battling the feeling of "what do I do next", Shevonne is there with the family, highlighting their strengths in a much described moment of "feeling helpless" and helping them pull on their abilities to make that first suction into their newborns airway or help a parent make a decision on "how much is too much".
I have been on the receiving end of family feedback about Shevonne and they say we just feel "safe" and "supported". As a colleague of Shevonne, I can say the same. As a new graduate nurse, I have been in a room with her and watched my client change very significantly. I remember watching her scoop the client out of his wheelchair into the bed and remained so incredibly calm while guiding the team. In the end, I remember her looking at me and saying, it was the team who did a good job.
Most importantly, Shevonne builds a strength-based partnership with the families and clients on the CCC unit. She identifies their goal and walks beside the families to deliver this goal in an extraordinary, compassionate and skillful way. She coaches and mentors her coworkers on families' wishes to fulfill certain goals as well. Her ability to articulate to the multidisciplinary team on how the family and client are doing from a nursing lens has strong advocacy and remains strength-based and solution focused.
I truly believe because of Shevonne's compassion and skill the children and families who experience her gentle yet strong and supportive way will grow and continue to have the most meaningful and healthy future.
Shevonne, I continue to be so amazed and grateful to be able to be a nurse alongside you. Thank you for everything you have done for the nurses of CCC and for each of the families.