As a novice nurse, Kristen easily applies and connects theory into practice. In a fast-paced work environment such as 9 stone, Kristen identifies the important tasks and prioritizes accordingly. She also holds herself highly accountable and is committed to the team. These skills and characteristics are critical to the success of our team to effectively manage multiple responsibilities.
For example, Kristen best demonstrated this skill when she was assigned to a patient with very low hemoglobin (Hgb.7.0). As a result, this patient needed a blood transfusion. At 0645 blood bank department called 9 Stone that the blood is ready to be sent. Rather than transition the responsibility to the next shift, Kristen started the blood transfusion without further delay. She applied her clinical judgment and recognized the importance of the task. Kristen knew that endorsing the blood transfusion to the next shift at this point will only cause delay of treatment and this process may not achieve the desirable patient outcome.
Kristen always applies nursing process to identify nursing needs of her patients. Kristen proactively processes her nursing tasks to ensure she has enough time to perform nursing interventions necessary for her patients. Once Kristen received a patient with low urine output during the previous shift, she monitored her patient’s urine output closely and notified the physician on a timely manner. It is evident that Kristen is thinking ahead of time and not waiting until the physician calls or before the end of her shift to perform nursing interventions if any . A Nurse Assistant who worked with her that night once said “I was there to empty the Foley bag of Kristen’s patient and I was surprised why there’s no urine in the bag, all I knew Kristen did it already. Kristen is good and she is thinking ahead knowing that this patient has no output as mentioned on the previous shift”. This daily routine is a reflection of her effective time management and ability to maintain composure even during complex and hectic periods on the floor.
Another example is when Kristen was assigned to a patient with a complex health problems; patient has NGT, on PCA, TPN and an ongoing blood transfusion. In spite of the complexities of this care plus her additional patient workload, Kristen still admitted a patient that night. Despite Kristen’s schedule, she always ensures that she has fulfilled her responsibilities and provided exceptional patient care before her shift ends.
Lastly, Kristen consistently seeks consults from her Charge RN especially if she notices any change in her patient’s condition. She was assigned to a post hysterectomy patient with PCA for pain. During her initial rounds to her patients, Kristen noticed that this patient was lethargic and with 02 saturation of 89-90%. She informed her charge RN and she called the physician. PCA dose was adjusted and patient became more responsive thereafter. These observations showed how Kristen is a committed to her patients and her team.
Kristen is a tremendous team-player as recognized by her managers as well as her peers. She recognizes when a team member on the floor is in need of assistance and always goes the extra mile to offer her help. The team views her as a highly reliable resource to the team who often volunteers her time when staffing need for the unit is critical. You will often hear Kristen say “Is there anything else I can do to help the unit?”

“When I’ve learned that Kristen will be on tonight, I personally have a lot of confidence that patients will receive the proper care and responsibilities will be fulfilled. I’m sure this sentiment is shared with many team members on the floor. Everyone enjoys working with her and appreciates her commitment to the team and her patients”.
Kristen is an ideal candidate for this award as evident from what her patients said about her way of delivering excellent nursing care to patients. Rather than describe the remarkable levels of empathy, compassion, and respect, I have included the following quotes from some of her recent patients:
“Kristen is my angel. She is one of a kind, very caring, and sincere. She was right there on time and took the time to listen - very professional. She wants to make sure that I am comfortable and safe. Best nursing care ever I have ever experienced. “
“I’ve been to so many hospitals in my life, but I’ve never had a nurse like Kristen. I was so anxious the first night of my admission, but Kristen took the time to explain what was going on to me until I fully understood. Nobody gave me that kind of attention. Kristen cares - she even said goodbye to me before she left.”