Renee Leonchik as the Daisy Award winner for the month of May, as we feel she meets all of the criteria required of a Daisy Award RN.
Uses evidence based knowledge: Renee is always up to date on the changes taking place, not only in our hospital, but in the health care field in general. She reads articles, participates in and is an active member of many committees. She investigates the issues that she is not sure of and is eager to learn from physicians and other nurses.
Is an effective teacher: Renee loves to teach and is an enthusiastic preceptor. She not only is willing to take nursing students under her wing, but does so with great patience, using her unique sense of humor and light-hearted manner to instruct, and to also get a point across when necessary. She has already precepted 4 new grads who themselves turned out to be successful nurses, much in part to Renee’s guidance. Renee also loves teaching her patients. She spends a great deal of time teaching patients and their families in detail about their condition, treatments, medications, and long term plan of care. She also actually enjoys acting as relief charge nurse.
Is an astute clinician – The care that Renee delivers to her patients is all-encompassing. She learns everything that she can about them, including a detailed past history, social and family history, and any needs unique to the patient or those involved with the patient’s care. She quickly recognizes changes in patients’ condition and acts quickly and appropriately. She identifies and communicates needs to all members of the care team, including physicians, therapists, and dieticians, advocating for the patient’s needs. She gives and expects a thorough report. Her patients trust her and feel safe with her as their caregiver.
Is compassionate: This is an area in which Renee really shines. Renee has compassion and concern for her fellow employees, always offering to lend a hand when she sees one of her peers struggling. Her sense of humor keeps the work atmosphere light and cheery. But most importantly, Renee has such genuine concern for not only her patients, but their families also. She loves to spend time at the bedside, talking to patients and their families, sharing her stories and intently listening to theirs. She often becomes involved with her patients to the degree that she seems more a part of the family than the caregiver. I have seen Renee sit at the bedside a dying patient, wiping her own tears away along with the family. Renee truly treats her patients as if they were members of her own family.
We are so very fortunate to have a nurse of Renee’s caliber working with us. She is a true example of what a Daisy Award RN should look like.