I have known and worked with Lorin for many years and am continually amazed at her enthusiasm and professionalism. Lorin is a wonderful role model. An AHS employee for over 20 years, she worked as an educator for some time before officially being appointed as the unit did not have one. She would take work home daily to put together PowerPoints, review staff educational needs and prepare bulletin boards all on her own time. Her time and attendance is spot on and would never give a second thought about coming in on her days off to assist staffing. Lorin motivates her staff enthusiastically with any and all initiatives and AHS visions. An Epic Superuser, she worked diligently to give her staff all that was needed to assure a smooth transition. This was a bit more challenging for her staff as they were not on computerized charting prior to Epic. Worried and skeptical, her staff practiced on the playground, followed all of Lorin's written examples and educational opportunities and "aced" the progression to the world of Epic and electronic charting. The snacks and prizes she placed on their "WOW's" each morning were very well received as well.
In addition, Lorin and I have worked diligently trying to get a certification review course here at MMC for our staff. 2 ½ years later, and a lot of sweat from our Certification Coordinator and Lorin, we have the review class coming up in April. She has rallied her troops and come up with 6-7 staff members attending the CPAN & CAPA review course. A smaller unit, this is a valued number as 1/3 of her staff are Per Diems and are taking the course for "themselves" as nurses and patient advocates, as they do not get any monetary benefit. This past Certification Day, Lorin made sure all of her Certified Nurses received a baggie filled with a purple pen, purple pin, and purple ID badge ribbon all secured with a purple bow representing "royalty, power and ambition," so much of what Lorin motivates her staff to be.
Finally, and most dear to my heart, Lorin promotes and enhances the image of nursing within the organization and profession. A co-chair of the Annual Employee Basket Raffle, Lorin is determined year after year for the last 10 years to raise as much as she can to assist with the needs of the beneficiary. Some of the past beneficiaries are the Women's Clinic, the ED expansion project, the Inpatient Psych project, and the Gagnon expansion to name a few. She spends days shopping and hours collecting unit baskets. As a matter of fact, and unbeknownst to many, Lorin uses an entire week of her PTO the week of the raffle to collect and prepare for the exciting day. In 2017, the raffle raised over $27,000.00 and the Foundation for MMC matched it giving the beneficiary a check for $54,000.00. Last year, a check for $46,000.00 was given to the beneficiary. As if this wasn't enough, Lorin volunteers her time giving in-services to the entire Perioperative Area. Recently, she presented an in-service on Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) to the Surgical Access Unit and the GI suite. A potentially deadly disease, we learned that it causes a fast rise in body temperature and severe muscle contractions when someone with MH has general anesthesia. A thorough pre-procedural assessment can alert the staff to prepare appropriately for the procedure at hand.
Finally, Lorin volunteers her time as a member of the Hospital-Wide Practice Council and PACT committee. She is a PACT-mentor, spending hours at a time assisting staff throughout the hospital successfully achieve their PACT. Last year, Lorin was responsible for the "first-time" PACT achievement for many in the Operating Room at 111 Ambulatory. She assists the mentee in selecting their bullets, "plugging" in their information and striving for what is yet to be done to meet that bullet. The accomplished feeling based on the binders' completion is overwhelming. I hope this has given a small "piece" of insight in all that Lorin does. Lorin is a true DAISY Nurse.