Stephanie joined the Cath Lab team in 2018 and brought with her a wealth of knowledge in caring for critically ill children and adults with congenital heart disease. In order to learn and grow in her new role as a Cath Lab nurse, Stephanie has consistently asked appropriate questions, has worked closely with her physician and nurse colleagues, and has sought out educational learning opportunities in order to deliver the highest level of care possible to the patients we serve. Stephanie is very conscientious in the care she provides to her patients and their families and is an avid patient advocate who works well with the entire interdisciplinary team. She is a meticulous nurse who is now able to function in all clinical roles in the Cath/EP lab, taking care of some of the most complex patients in the Pediatric Heart Center. 

During her time in the Cath Lab, Stephanie has implemented several quality improvement initiatives that were aimed at improving the delivery of patient care, patient and family satisfaction, and team morale. Stephanie was pivotal in helping our department launch our cardiac pre-op and recovery area to ensure continuity of care for our complex patient population. Stephanie engaged her nursing colleagues to ensure we had the appropriate resources and supplies needed to care for our patients pre and post-procedure. To support this new workflow, Stephanie helped create a pre-op and hand-off process for our Interventional Cardiology patient population. The goal of this initiative was to provide a safer, more efficient experience for our patients coming in for a Cath and/or EP procedure. In addition, this initiative helped foster a more collaborative and cohesive relationship between the nursing and medical teams. Throughout this process, Stephanie was very conscientious about seeking feedback from all stakeholders involved, including our Cath and EP physicians, anesthesia and nurse colleagues, as well as the in-patient units our department works closely with. Stephanie’s delicate yet systematic and steadfast approach enhanced buy-in from the group which drove up compliance and has helped sustain these efforts.
 
In addition to creating a streamlined pre-op and recovery process, Stephanie developed nursing competencies to support an orientation process for new nurses joining the Cath lab in order to ensure all aspects of training and skills are covered. This orientation and training are vital for new nurses to ensure they can deliver the highest level of care possible to the patients we serve. The orientation competencies and process that Stephanie developed involves, not only training for new nurses, but resources for team members to assimilate to their new environment quickly and extend their clinical knowledge even further. The development of the orientation process supports the growth of our program in the Pediatric Heart Center by identifying where resources can be used and where education for the nursing team is needed. Since the development of the nurse competencies that Stephanie developed, we have trained several nurses to our department utilizing this revised process. The success of these nurses completing orientation is largely due to Stephanie’s caring efforts. 

This past year, Stephanie worked with Nursing Leadership in holding the department’s Skills Day to review procedures, equipment, and emergency protocols. She collaborated with our attending group to have our physicians provide education that involved lecture and hands-on learning. These patient safety and quality improvement initiatives are due to Stephanie’s effort in seeking feedback regularly from the team. She does an exceptional job in taking action and being transparent with this information.  

Stephanie is a member of the scheduling committee and completes the nursing schedule every month. Stephanie clearly cares about her colleagues, our department, her patients, and their families. I am so grateful to have her on our team. 

Due to her calm demeanor and approachability, Stephanie is well-liked and respected by all members of the team, including patients and their families. Stephanie consistently works collaboratively with others and is a prime example of an extraordinary nurse, serving as a role model. I believe she deserves the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, not only for her extensive clinical knowledge and impressive leadership skills but for her commitment to the nursing profession as a whole. Stephanie is an extraordinary asset to our organization, and I feel she exemplifies all PRIDE core values every day she comes to work. 

Stephanie’s unwavering efforts in improving the delivery of patient care have helped us achieve optimal patient outcomes, making a positive difference in the lives of the patients and families we serve. 

Stephanie’s teamwork is exemplary. In her approach to her daily work, she consistently considers not only the flow of all the other nurses in the lab but of everyone involved in providing care to the patients. She clearly sees how important everyone’s role is in providing safe and thoughtful care for our patients every day. Stephanie leads with kindness and compassion. Her suggestions are always well-received because she approaches this work and her colleagues in a gentle, but purposeful, and respectful manner.  Steph embodies all the PRIDE values that UCSF strives for. 

Steph is truly fantastic in all aspects of pediatric interventional nursing! She has a calming presence, providing support and guidance to the entire team. Her communication skills with patients of all ages and their families are superb. 

Stephanie Stafford is a stellar part of the pediatric cardiac Cath team and is incredibly deserving of the DAISY Award.  I have witnessed her fastidious commitment to patient care and patient safety.  

She is the best team player who exemplifies UCSF pride values.  She is extremely professional with all team players, has integrity, respects diversity, and is a champion for all people of all backgrounds. She is truly an embodiment of excellence for the Pedi cardiac team and the gold standard for nursing care. I cannot imagine a more deserving person than Stephanie Stafford. She is a true DAISY Nurse.