Noelle has an ever present smile throughout all of the many ups and downs of a clinic day. She can be counted on to help out any fellow staff in all manner of tasks from billing to an emergent situation with a patient. I have often seen her stop a confused looking patient or family member to assure that their needs were met. To be an excellent educator of patients and families, Noelle makes sure she is up to date on the patient population she works with which, is stroke and memory patients. She maintains certifications for stroke, including the NIH stroke scale. She is also part of the committee for continued TJC stroke certification for UNMH. In addition, she participates in the Albuquerque Stroke Club. With this preparation, Noelle is well prepared to educate patient and families.
She typically does a pre- and post-appointment assessment and education with her providers' patients at every clinic visit. Between visits, she expertly assesses and educates patients and family members over the phone. There are many ways to be a role model for the nursing profession. One way Noelle does this is through precepting. She regularly acts as a preceptor for all of the nurses and MAs in our clinic because her length of experience in the clinic setting has given her a wealth of knowledge which she can and does share.
Recently, Noelle has taken on a new and unique precepting task. The eye clinic has a new nurse. They have never had a nurse on staff so this nurse has everything to learn about how to be a clinic nurse. Noelle has offered to precept her and the eye nurse calls on a daily basis with questions. Noelle readily and graciously answers those questions. One thing Noelle does every year is N-95 testing for all three clinics in the Clinical Neurosciences Center. This takes organization of all the supplies, updates on her training and the time she gives to do the testing. There are only a few procedures done in our clinic. It is stressful to jump in on one when you are not used to doing it.
Noelle does not typically do lumbar punctures; however, she has done so without hesitation on several occasions when the usual nurse has been out. One of our providers who does Botox injections for migraines recently left. Although we were uncertain who to place these patients with next, Noelle has made sure to keep their prior authorizations current so patients are ready when there is an available provider. This level of thoughtfulness, to plan in advance for her patients, makes Noelle an amazing nurse. As our director says, "Noelle has been instrumental on getting our stroke patients needed support. Noelle has a positive disposition no matter what is going on around her. She has a friendly smile and warm greeting for everyone. She demonstrates a "can do" spirit no matter what the request. We are so lucky to have her in our clinic on our team."
Unlike in an inpatient setting, where contact with patients can last for days or weeks, in a clinic, the nurse opportunity for direct patient contact is limited. The bulk of interaction between the nurse and the patient or family occurs over the phone. I have had the opportunity to overhear Noelle on the phone and to follow up on her messages and read about the kind of interaction she has with patient and families. She follows up on every question and request. She has many years of experience with stroke and memory, which are her specialty areas, but has covered for other areas so many times her knowledge of neurologic issues makes her very well able to answer patient and family questions. When she doesn't know an answer herself, she knows what resources to go to for answers.
One of Noelle's coworkers said, "She is awesome. She is a teacher and a confidant. The best preceptor I could hope for. She is knowledgeable and approachable. She will cover for anybody. She always jumps in for provider questions when I don't know." This is a sentiment that could have been uttered by anyone working in our clinic. MAs, nurses and providers are all comfortable to approach her to get information or help to assist with any patient care. Our providers, nurses and MAs feel secure because of her knowledge base and because she is consistent, experienced, skilled, and compassionate.