Calm in a crisis. This is a virtue that any excellent ER nurse should have. However, it takes an outstanding ER nurse to be calm in a tragedy. Now twice, we have seen Lisa Bellows, RN, be calm and poised in a tragic situation. It is for this reason, that she should be recognized for her work, leadership and more importantly her example to the other staff with whom she works.
On an everyday basis, Lisa has the perfect balance of easygoing and hardworking nature. Working evenings and nights, typically the busiest times in any ER, Lisa handles many sick patients with fewer resources and less help. She makes chaos into calm, consistently doing it in an understated manner, keeping physicians and staff focused on their most important tasks. Her ability to prioritize patients for us as providers makes our jobs easier, and smooths relations with people frustrated about waiting. She is a valuable asset to our department, and whenever we see her name on the schedule, we know she'll be able to straighten out even the most chaotic of evenings.
We have witnessed few nurses who are able to perform under tremendous stress in a way that engenders calm and confidence in everyone with whom they work like Lisa does. She serves as an excellent example of how nurses can set the tone to reassure. We frequently look to Lisa for her appraisal of a situation, knowing it is likely spot-on. She should be given this award for all of her hard work, but more importantly, for how she gives us all the confidence to get the job done - even when the circumstances are bitterly upsetting.