Since Stephanie Crnkovich has stepped into the role of unit manager,4 East has become the best unit in the entire hospital!She is consistent in everything she does and is constantly working to improve the unit and the working conditions for the staff like purchasing a brand new microwave for the break room out of her own pocket! Stephanie makes herself accessible to all her staff by coming in early or by responding promptly to her emails. She is fair and balanced and approachable and never hesitates to put on scrubs and jump in to help her staff out by taking patients to procedures, starting IVs, giving pain meds, or simply relieving a staff member at the desk, so they can go to lunch. For an example, the floor was down to only four nurses on a Sunday and Stephanie came in on her day off and worked as charge to facilitate patient care and employee morale! She is an outstanding leader and role model for she embodies integrity, patience, empathy, compassion, and accountability. In all my years I have never seen a manager be as proactive in the well-being of their unit and staff as Stephanie!
In the last couple of months, our unit has witnessed several tragic circumstances. We had a heartbreaking situation concerning a child of a nurse who had to be admitted to intensive care and several co-workers were forced to deal with unexpected losses of loved ones. A tech, while on break, fell and sustained a tibial plateau fracture and had to have emergent surgery. When the tech awakened from surgery, Stephanie was there wiping her forehead with a cold cloth making sure that she was being well taken care of.
Stephanie has laser sharp intuition and profound comprehension of the human spirit that allows her to be on point with whatever assistance a coworker might need. Be it donations, a sympathy card, an understanding ear, or a simple ride home, she is always proactively instituting all potential assistive resources available to her staff. Stephanie's heart of gold is genuine and true and is demonstrated each and every day by the way she advocates for her unit. Her years of experience and insight into the human condition have intensified her aptitude in the healthcare profession and this is why I know without a doubt that Stephanie is deserving of all the admiration and gratitude for all the hard work, dedication, and compassion she has demonstrated to her patients and staff!