Heather is an RN working as a Nurse First Assist in the St. Francis Operating Rooms. Her past makes her unique as a Nurse. Since she is older, her experiences are varied and profound. She grew up in an era when the surgeons were pioneers in their fields. She saw patients in wards rather than private and semi-private rooms. She has treated individuals with filariasis and operated on patients with leprosy in Haiti. All of her experiences are held close to her heart.
She continually revises and streamlines her patient care, but never forgets where she came from. She holds strong to the conviction her personal mission is to make a difference in people’s lives. Heather is willing to do whatever needs to be done to ensure case progression. She will set up a case as a tech, if that is needed. Recently, she completed the peri-op 101 course, so she could be more versatile and shift into the circulator role but she is just as happy to assist cleaning a room or picking a case.
In working directly with a patient, she helps them feel comfortable and at ease. She is often heard praying with her patients prior to leaving the pre-op area or prior to induction in the OR. Heather tries to make her workplace better by chairing the Surgical Services branch of Shared Governance at St. Francis. By taking this initiative, she works with her co-workers to create a better work environment. Not only are they working to streamline their efficiency, but shared governance is involved in improving morale and working on outreach programs within the community. In addition to this, she is an active member of St. Francis’s Nursing Congress. Heather works to improve the morale of her co-workers. A very creative artist in her own right, she has created numerous poems that she reads at the beginning of our morning huddles. They may be general, taking a humorous approach to a particularly difficult day or she may create a poem or cheer for a specific subgroup within our staffing.
Last year, she created poems for every single member of our main and ambulatory staff so they could be singled out and honored one day during the year. She also created an “employee trivia” so employees could learn something interesting about their co-workers. It was so successful; she later did the same about our surgeons and anesthesia staff. Heather looks for ways to improve our workplace. When ConnectCare was instituted, she created a gown and glove check off system so we could more easily charge for our frequently added supplies. She saw the need for finding a way to utilize our core printer which had not been in use for over two years. This is now functioning so we can print our specimen orders from within the operating rooms on the main side. When it was brought to our attention that Oxygen tanks were not to be transported on the end of patient beds, she researched an alternative that is presently being considered hospital wide. Heather is an avid writer, constantly nominating employees for internal and hospital wide awards. If Heather wrote the nomination, the person probably received the award.
She has been instrumental in helping the nurses and SA/ST’s work on their clinical ladder. She listens to their stories and helps expand their thinking. She helps guide and organize their work. She is a sounding board for anyone requesting her assistance.
For the last 12 years, Heather has been involved with the American Youth Harp Ensemble and Harps Foundation. For 10 years, she was president of the foundation whose missions was to develop programs and performance opportunities for children and youth, regardless of financial means or disabilities, utilizing the harp as a catalyst for personal growth and community service. Originally starting with 25 students, many from “at risk” home situations, the program now has over 300 students. They are involved with harping in the hospitals working with cancer patients, at risk neonatal patients and Alzheimer patients.
They work closely with “Noah’s Children” and their families. They presently are involved with the Boys and Girls Club, Charles City County Public Schools, Resources for Independent Living Center, Music Therapy Associates of Richmond, Bon Secours Richmond Health Systems, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond Montessori School, Collegiate Summer Quest, Academy of Music, and Mary Munford Elementary School. In addition, the American Youth Harp Ensemble continues to dazzle audiences around the world as American's premier youth harp ensemble, well known for their musical sophistication, rich sound, emotional power, and imaginative programming of repertoire. The American Youth Harp Ensemble (AYHE) has brought world-class music to enthusiastic audiences in the U.S. and abroad through hundreds of performances, recordings, television and radio features most recently on CNN, NBC, PBS, and NPR affiliate stations. With fifteen national and international tours to their credit since 1999, the AYHE made its international debut performing in the Maastricht Music Festival (Netherlands).
On multiple occasions, they have played at the White House, the Kennedy Center, and the United Nations and at Carnegie Hall. Heather presently is the acting chair emeritus.
Heather is also active in ball room dancing for residents at several Nursing homes in the community, singing for the same and delivering meals to “Noah’s Children” families at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I feel Heather epitomizes good things in Nursing.
~ Nominated by: William “Shane” Stanford, MBA, BSN, Perioperative Nurse Manager