Trudi Jackson
March 2022
Trudi L
Jackson
,
BSN, RN, CPN, CCTC
Nephrology
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Kansas City
,
MO
United States
Cultivating trusting relationships with an open line of communication is one of the most important roles of our job. If you were to observe Trudi just for a day, you see that she has built that relationship with the patients that she follows.
Trudi is one of six kidney transplant coordinators. She is an invaluable member of our team. She is reliable, consistent, kind, and thoughtful, amongst many other great qualities. Today our group text started going off before 7 am. One of two coordinators scheduled in the office was going to have to work from home while waiting to be tested for COVID, the backup coordinator was home with a sick kiddo and I was on home quarantine with COVID. Although Trudi was scheduled to be working from home, she didn't hesitate, she said let me get the kids dropped off and I'll be there. It was a clinic day so she jumped right in with whatever was needed to cover the clinic patients. She covered a medically complicated patient who had a lot of needs. She did it with ease and professionalism as if she had planned to do it all along. She followed through on all the tasks I could not due to being at home. I have always heard patients and families speak highly of her as well as other members of our team. I'm grateful that she is part of our team.
***
I have worked with Trudi since I started as a nurse intern on 5 Sutherland in 2013. She was a charge nurse there at the time. Since then, we have both moved to become kidney transplant coordinators and now share an office together. Trudi leads by example. She consistently goes above and beyond to meet patient and family needs. As a kidney transplant coordinator, we are in a unique role that allows us to closely follow patients for many years. Cultivating trusting relationships with an open line of communication is one of the most important roles of our job. If you were to observe Trudi just for a day, you see that she has built that relationship with the patients that she follows.
Recently, there was a patient that had a difficult admission. It was around the holidays and there were several changes made to the patient's medical regimen. One of the changes included a twice-weekly injection. The patient was upset about this and started crying when Trudi spoke to her about the change. Trudi ended up going to the patient's bedside to try and comfort her. It turns out that the patient did not have a full understanding of why the medication was needed. Trudi was able to offer education, which helped the patient to understand why the medication was so important and why it was the only option for treatment of the particular issue.
Another example is a family that requires a lot of follow up and reassurance. Often times, they call daily if not multiple times a day. Each time they call, Trudi shows true professionalism. She encourages them and helps to answer their question without ever losing patience.
***
Do you ever count on someone so much that you don't realize you might be taking them for granted? Until one day it occurs to you how important they are to the excellent care your team provides patients and families. And once that happens, you start thinking of all the ways this person has exemplified a high standard of care, whether it's the everyday duties or the occasional "coming in clutch" when the team needs them most. And honestly, isn't that what the DAISY Award is all about? Trudi Jackson is that nurse. That team player. That advocate. All of us on the kidney transplant team sing her praises. As a nurse practitioner, the interactions I personally have with Trudi are consistently informative, thorough, and efficient as a result. She anticipates and obtains information that is needed several steps ahead and is always willing to get information quickly when asked. This expedites the care that we can provide our kidney transplant patients and their families. This goes a long way in building trust between the patient and the healthcare team. This has been proven over and over and over with examples of going above and beyond when communicating with families about complex issues. She is very sensitive to health literacy practices that span across cultures and languages.
I have two patients and families that immediately come to mind who have needed extra support as they learned how to live as young children with new kidneys. While one had a language barrier and the other has behavioral issues, both have very complex social environments and medical needs. Trudi has been a trusted first line resource for both families. The confidence and knowledge she demonstrates as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team is highly respected from both the patients she cares for and the colleagues she works alongside. The trust I have in Trudi cannot be expressed enough. I'm incredibly blessed and grateful to be one of her colleagues.
***
I have worked with Trudi since I started as a nurse intern on 5 Sutherland in 2013. She was a charge nurse there at the time. Since then, we have both moved to become kidney transplant coordinators and now share an office together. Trudi leads by example. She consistently goes above and beyond to meet patient and family needs. As a kidney transplant coordinator, we are in a unique role that allows us to closely follow patients for many years. Cultivating trusting relationships with an open line of communication is one of the most important roles of our job. If you were to observe Trudi just for a day, you see that she has built that relationship with the patients that she follows.
Recently, there was a patient that had a difficult admission. It was around the holidays and there were several changes made to the patient's medical regimen. One of the changes included a twice-weekly injection. The patient was upset about this and started crying when Trudi spoke to her about the change. Trudi ended up going to the patient's bedside to try and comfort her. It turns out that the patient did not have a full understanding of why the medication was needed. Trudi was able to offer education, which helped the patient to understand why the medication was so important and why it was the only option for treatment of the particular issue.
Another example is a family that requires a lot of follow up and reassurance. Often times, they call daily if not multiple times a day. Each time they call, Trudi shows true professionalism. She encourages them and helps to answer their question without ever losing patience.
***
Do you ever count on someone so much that you don't realize you might be taking them for granted? Until one day it occurs to you how important they are to the excellent care your team provides patients and families. And once that happens, you start thinking of all the ways this person has exemplified a high standard of care, whether it's the everyday duties or the occasional "coming in clutch" when the team needs them most. And honestly, isn't that what the DAISY Award is all about? Trudi Jackson is that nurse. That team player. That advocate. All of us on the kidney transplant team sing her praises. As a nurse practitioner, the interactions I personally have with Trudi are consistently informative, thorough, and efficient as a result. She anticipates and obtains information that is needed several steps ahead and is always willing to get information quickly when asked. This expedites the care that we can provide our kidney transplant patients and their families. This goes a long way in building trust between the patient and the healthcare team. This has been proven over and over and over with examples of going above and beyond when communicating with families about complex issues. She is very sensitive to health literacy practices that span across cultures and languages.
I have two patients and families that immediately come to mind who have needed extra support as they learned how to live as young children with new kidneys. While one had a language barrier and the other has behavioral issues, both have very complex social environments and medical needs. Trudi has been a trusted first line resource for both families. The confidence and knowledge she demonstrates as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team is highly respected from both the patients she cares for and the colleagues she works alongside. The trust I have in Trudi cannot be expressed enough. I'm incredibly blessed and grateful to be one of her colleagues.