Courtney is one of the best nurses I have ever worked with. She is an amazing bedside nurse serving over 20 years at VCU Health System. Her nursing experience includes Surgery Trauma, Radiology, and Neuroscience Intensive Care Nursing. She has a master's degree in education which is evident in the bedside care she delivers every day. She goes above and beyond for all patients and families and for her peers as well.
It has been tremendously gratifying to observe Courtney's growth from novice to expert in neurocritical care nursing. Her exceptional clinical knowledge and neuro expertise do not go unnoticed amongst her peers. She is a hospital-wide clinical ladder coach who has helped many nurses succeed in climbing the clinical ladder and develop professionally. She is selfless and commits the majority of her time to the hospital and in the community. Courtney is also involved in many community outreach projects throughout the Richmond area. She is very dedicated to the annual VCUHS Children's Safety Fair, particularly by educating children on the importance of hand hygiene. In January 2020, she coordinated a community event at the Hippodrome and raised thousands of dollars to supply children in the Richmond area with new art supplies. This was ALL Courtney! She spends countless hours coordinating projects and thinking of others in the community. Courtney is VERY dedicated to her peers here in the NSICU. She considers her peers to be family. She is focused on enhancing gratitude and each Monday she sends out "Mindful Monday" emails with inspiring quotes and phrases to start the week. She begins each safety huddle at night with a motivating quote from her personal gratitude book. Courtney is also known for her Board of Recognition on the unit. Her positivity and gratitude are front and center for the staff to see on that Board in our breakroom. Each month she takes the time to recognize employees who have gone above and beyond. She writes a story about them and posts it on the Board, which resides in our breakroom. Everyone looks forward to her positivity on that board. She includes favorite pictures of our staff animals and pets. She ensures her peers have something positive to start and end their days. It isn't easy working in the NSICU and a little food always helps and makes the shifts better! Courtney is the instigator behind staff potluck meals. "Insomnia" cookies are a specialty that she often provides to the night shift staff. She is truly a selfless person and dedicates the majority of her time and energy to helping others.
On the professional side of Courtney is a preceptor, mentor, and total team player. She has enhanced her own clinical knowledge by seeking out learning opportunities. She has attended multiple local stroke and trauma conferences. She generously brings back new knowledge to the unit for the purpose of improving patient outcomes. Courtney has well developed and highly skilled communication and interpersonal skills. Those are evidenced every day as she seeks to develop and achieve patient-centered goals by working effectively with and through others. Courtney is well-liked by her nursing peers, students, patients, and their families, and the entire interdisciplinary team.
Exceptional leadership is quality that Courtney demonstrates on a day to day basis. She is a great team leader and charge nurse that never lets a nurse drown. She is constantly checking on other nurses and is very attentive to the entire unit, throughout the entire night. Courtney never sits down! She continually offers a hand to help and is willing to take any difficult patient assignments as needed. She juggles patient assignments, throughput, conflict, hospital-wide stroke alerts all with great ease, and a smile on her face. Her confident demeanor makes nurses feel welcomed and supported. Providing feedback to team members is essential and Courtney does this with great simplicity. She is adept at meeting people where they are and adapting style and methods to their needs and the situation.
Courtney is dedicated to patient safety. She is the NSICU's infection control champion. She meets with the hospital representatives monthly and completes hundreds of audits. She completes daily rounds on all patients with catheters and presents a questioning attitude with each individual patient case. Her top priority is to decrease the unit and hospital CAUTI rates. She is attentive to detail every single day she is in the hospital. After the initiation of multiple different interventions and algorithms, our CAUTI rates have dropped tremendously in the NSICU. To accomplish this task required outstanding coordination, attention to detail, and the ability to give constructive feedback when necessary.
Courtney is a true DAISY Nurse Leader. There are hundreds of others- peers, patients, or families that I know would agree. She is compassionate, holistic, and strives for the best outcomes for patients, families, and peers. Her leadership skills, clinical knowledge, educational style, and overall personality are just outstanding. She contributes a great deal to the high quality of patient care here at VCU Health. She is an asset to the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit and is an excellent representation of high-level nursing care associated with the health care system.