Tanya Strehle
November 2022
Tanya
Strehle
,
BSN, CCRN
MICU/Oncology & Oncology BMT
University of Washington Medical Center - Montlake
Seattle
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

I can honestly say that through all the ups, downs, and craziness that is thrust upon our weary unit, Tanya has been a steadfast constant who goes above and beyond her role as an assistant nurse manager.
I honestly cannot say enough wonderful things about Tanya. If ever there was someone who exemplifies a DAISY Nurse, it is Tanya Strehle! Tanya is one of the RN3s on 6SA and has been essential since the creation of 6SA. She has been a STAT RN for more than a decade. In those roles, she has held up not just 6SA but the entire hospital as a knowledgeable supportive leader for a generally very inexperienced night shift crew. She is safe in her practice, using her knowledge & skill base in tandem with policy and team collaboration to assure safe care on 6SA and across the house while in the STAT role. I have spoken to night shift charge RNs from the other ICUs, and they report that they all seek Tanya's guidance at night anytime there is an issue that had never previously been confronted with, and she is always happy to oblige.

Tanya routinely works above and beyond her FTE as a backup charge for 6SA and to fill staffing holes, assuring all patients have a nurse. She always responds to texts and calls from staff, regardless of if she is at the hospital or not. Essentially she is always unofficially "on-call" to do what is most right for our patients by supporting her nurses on 6SA and beyond. She is a true leader and doesn't require recognition, though she certainly deserves it. She exemplifies what it is to be a DAISY Nurse.

In the past few years, our unit has seen A LOT of changes. Not just the global pandemic that the rest of the world is also dealing with but just big changes on our unit itself. Changes in leadership, staffing, charting, etc. I can honestly say that through all the ups, downs, and craziness that is thrust upon our weary unit, Tanya has been a steadfast constant who goes above and beyond her role as an assistant nurse manager.

***

Tanya is the glue that holds our unit together. She is incredibly dedicated and relentlessly hardworking. (I'm not sure if she even sleeps!) She is holding down the fort ALL THE TIME. She works, nights-days-evening. Tanya is invaluable to our hospital. She is a treasure trove of critical care knowledge. She is amazing under STAT RN pressures. She deals with all the headaches of our staffing shortages and scheduling issues. She fills in as a bedside RN, a charge RN, a dialysis RN, and an assistant manager and wears a myriad of other "hats" to keep our unit running as smoothly as possible.

***

Tanya is just inherently a born leader and most deserving of this very special award. I have worked with Tanya for years and have been constantly impressed by her grace and compassion. From her time as a staff nurse, charge nurse, STAT RN, and currently our Assistant Manager, she has been a rock of stability and support for all of us who are lucky enough to work with her.

During the pandemic, she was a calming presence in a chaotic and uncertain time. When our unit was without a manager, she was someone we all looked to for leadership and guidance. She is a wealth of knowledge, but if she doesn't know an answer to a question, she will always find out and circle back with the correct information. She consistently goes above and beyond for our unit, patients, and families. She checks in with staff - as well as families and patients - regularly and people just open up to her. If you're upset about something, her presence is calming and comforting. I have seen her interact with a worked-up family, and her compassion shines through. Maybe it’s just her confidence, but you know the situation will be ok if she's involved.

Tanya has been a supportive, dedicated RN3 in times when the unit has been fractious due to COVID and attrition. She gives exemplary care to patients above and beyond. She takes care of unit nurses as she takes care of her patients. Tanya is reliable to help out in any situation whether in house or out. Tanya has been wearing 2-3 RN3 hats for most of COVID, and I believe is very deserving of the DAISY Award.