We believe Melissa is deserving of the DAISY Award because of the hard work and dedication she demonstrates on the job every day. She is one of our EPIC super users, a member of the CAP Committee and a vital member of the Surgery Department's "OR Excellence Team". She is an awesome preceptor and she functions as an informal leader. When Surgery management is unavailable, she steps in as the department Lead. Melissa is one of the first people that co-workers will go to with questions and/or problems. If she is not sure about something, she will find the answer. She is always stepping up to the plate, going above and beyond for all of her co-workers. In addition to circulating, she has cross-trained to scrubbing, making her very versatile. Melissa wears many hats in the department. Her additional responsibilities include monitoring and documenting all daily checks, organizing department drills and entering all call time in to Kronos—which can be a frustrating task with last minute changes and additions.
Melissa strives for excellence in her position as a perioperative nurse. She recently received her BSN from Chamberlain College and is currently studying to obtain her CNOR certification. She stays on top of all her other certifications to include ACLS, PALS and NRP. Surgical patients are uniquely vulnerable because they are asleep the majority of the time we care for them. Melissa functions as their advocate, keeping patient safety a high priority.
Melissa fosters the "team spirit" that defines the atmosphere of the Surgery Department. Under her creative leadership, the department has won a category at the annual hospital-wide Pumpkin Decorating Contest three years in a row and has taken the Hospital-wide Sweets Delights Tour the past two years. She is the founder and Captain of the Surgery Department's Bowling Team—a great group activity that boosts department morale and camaraderie.
Melissa's proven leadership skills inspire and align others to embrace teamwork and collaboration. Melissa is very deserving of this DAISY Award.