In my four years as an RN at Children's Hospital, I have been blessed with working alongside some of the most amazing, compassionate, intelligent and caring individuals. I have learned that oftentimes the best of nurses can go unrecognized, not because they are not noticed, but because they work hard, get the job done and serve others as their top priority, never looking for accolades.
Four months ago, I accepted a new position with the CHW Transport team. The team itself, although very highly visible in-house in their blue suits, often does their most challenging work outside the walls of the hospital. And while the work is crucial, the effort and expertise of the individuals on the team can often go unrecognized due to the short amount of time spent with a patient and their family, during a particularly stressful and chaotic time, and away from the watchful eyes of peers and managers.
After training for the last several months into this role, it is necessary that a certain individual is recognized for his dedication to patients, extraordinary knowledge and extremely hard work ethic. Jeff Parker is by far one of the most amazing and dedicated nurses I have worked with thus far in my career. I had the extreme fortune of having him as my preceptor and I could not be more grateful.
Simply put, Jeff is brilliant. He is knowledgeable about all aspects of caring for a patient, whether it be variable patient populations, physiological processes, pharmacology or anticipating the plan of care. He is driven, he is a great teacher, and he continues to stay both curious and studious while continuing his education—presenting at national conferences, co-writing a research article that is being published, teaching ACLS courses and precepting new nurses to the team.
He is intentional with his time and maintains a "work hard" mentality, always searching for learning opportunities and jumping in full force when tasks or jobs are requested. He is well-liked by his coworkers and peers and maintains a positive attitude and outlook. He is generous with his time and gifts and exemplifies the values of CHW.
I have had the privilege of participating in direct patient care with Jeff while on transports. He is compassionate to his patients and their families, providing comfort and reassurance, while also educating them and providing exceptional care. It is extremely obvious how hard Jeff works and how his wheels are constantly turning. He diligently thinks through his assessments, thoroughly and accurately communicates with other health care providers, and is meticulous in his interventions. His nursing care goes above and beyond with each and every patient or transport.
While Jeff's interactions with most patients are short-lived due to the nature of the transport job, I have no doubt that his actions have lasting impacts on both the children and their families. He is an incredibly unique asset to the transport team and his contributions should not go unnoticed. Jeff deserves to be recognized for his vast knowledge, his extremely dedicated work ethic and the overwhelming compassion he provides his patients and his co-workers. He truly is one of the best.