For years Karen Grissinger has given of herself in multiple capacities at Wolfson. Today she holds the position of Director for Pediatric Flex Team, ECMO, Emergency Department, and House Supervisors. She prefers to stay in the background making sure the hundreds of tasks she has on her desk at any given time are executed pristinely, yet is never too busy to talk with her staff regarding growth or what a day is looking like for them. She always is there with Kleenex and a Hershey bar when the day hasn't gone how we intended. She welcomes all of her staff with a warm and motherly invite. While Karen is an inspiration and example to us all with the compassion that she shows, she isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and teach someone a new skill. I will never forget watching her do bereavement care for a baby that had passed away before they reached our department. She knew that the nurses in the emergency department that day were already at their wits' end, so she took it upon herself to make sure that the grieving family had a chance to see their baby one more time. Through and through Karen gives selflessly for the good of our organization and the individuals we care for on a daily basis. A true servant leader, role model, and compassionate caregiver, she is a DAISY Nurse Leader.
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I have been working in the Children's ER at Wolfson for several years now and have seen managers and directors come and go. I have to say that Karen is the most compassionate and supportive director and truly loves what she does. Of course, I was skeptical when the word came through the pipeline that we were getting a new director. Rumors swarmed around and staff members were talking (LOL). I like to listen to what people have to say, but reserve my opinion from my own interactions. I have found that Karen's door is always open for me when I need to vent during a hard day or I have a suggestion that I think may help our unit and I can trust her to keep our conversations confidential. Karen has turned this unit around with her hard work and professional management style. In the past, I really hated to come to work. Everyone was so negative and all they did was complain. It was a horrible environment. I even spent time looking for another job, but now people are happy, and working here is a pleasure. Karen shares her vision with us on a weekly basis in what she calls ' Weekly Words' emails. These emails keep us up to date on what she is working on for our unit, updates, Kudos, and a manager's words section that includes uplifting stories that have meaning to the work we do. These emails are very long and must take a lot of time for her to construct. The time she spends on this really shows that she respects us and cares that her staff is kept in the loop.
Thank you Karen for all you do for our team members, patients, and families!