At South Texas, we have been recognizing Extraordinary Nurses through The DAISY Award for the past several years. In 2018, Nursing Service adopted The DAISY Leader Award. The DAISY Foundation describes this award as one that recognizes nurses that create an environment of compassion and recognition for others. These leaders provide a haven of safety, role-model caring behavior, and value compassion. They motivate staff with a shared vision to achieve better outcomes and enhance the image of nursing within the organization, the community, and the profession. Sandra Shaw exemplifies those attributes.
Ms. Shaw demonstrates expert skills and understanding of the areas of responsibility charged to her: Bone Marrow Transplant, Chemotherapy clinic, Radiation Oncology, and the inpatient PICC team. During the past year, Ms. Shaw has been at the forefront of many program changes in which she advocated not only for our veterans but also for the nursing staff. A major initiative included the implementation of NIOSH standards for hazardous drugs based on USP 800, a set of guidelines released by the United States Pharmacopeial Convention. During multidisciplinary discussions on how the healthcare system would implement NIOSH recommendations, Ms. Shaw was adamant in strictly following the USP 800 guidelines. Her passion to protect not only the veterans but also our employees was evident as she stood her ground to ensure safe handling of hazardous drugs was implemented for all staff involved. Moreover, when the chemo pharmacy was taken offline for modifications, the healthcare system turned to contingencies to maintain compounded medications. An outsourced pharmacy was chosen. Despite established expectations, vulnerabilities and delays arose. Ms. Shaw stopped the line on multiple infractions in labeling and compounding from that agency. In addition, she fielded numerous complaints from veterans waiting hours beyond their scheduled appointment time for their chemotherapy to arrive. Her perseverance for safety and a positive veteran experience was a driving force that led to negotiations with University Health System to ultimately allow South Texas staff to compound in their facility. As a result, chemo is compounded in advance which has shortened wait time for veterans, has allowed for smoother scheduling, and has increased veteran satisfaction.
Ms. Shaw has earned the respect of her interdisciplinary colleagues. She sees the best in everyone and has rallied "one team." Oncology is a complex subset of medicine. Each veteran requires a multitude of heroes to act on his/her behalf to combat the disease. Ms. Shaw is often the glue that keeps the team operating in tandem. Her positive outlook and unconditional support have inspired others to challenge their processes to enhance safety and efficiency in operations. The implementation of Vista Chemo Management, a program that changed complex chemotherapy treatment regimens from paper to an electronic format, had an impact on each discipline. A change in any one process would cause a ripple effect across the program. Ms. Shaw quarterbacked the implementation to ensure a process that optimized workflow and safety for all.
Ms. Shaw's passion for serving is also seen in the community. She has been spotted cooking for veterans and families at the Fisher House as well as on a local news channel for an annual clothing drive she spearheads to help the homeless. Despite all the challenges Ms. Shaw may face, her commitment to the veterans, the organization, and people is unwavering. She is always there to lend a hand and offer words of encouragement. As a leader, she enthusiastically motivates staff and veterans to do what is right; she is a light to all she encounters. Ms. Shaw is truly a DAISY Nurse Leader!