Virginia Pfeifer
June 2013
Virginia "Ginny"
Pfeifer
,
RN, BSN, OCN, CWOCN
Urology,GU & Thoracic Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York
,
NY
United States
Virginia Pfeifer started as a new graduate nurse at MSKCC on July 2nd, 1979. Throughout her time here she has worked with several different patient populations and settings including inpatient and outpatient general medical oncology, hematology, Auto BMT, head and neck medicine, Urology and GU medicine. Since becoming certified in 2009 she has been the CWOCN on M5. It is with great honor that her M5 family nominates Ginny for the 2013 DAISY award.
Nomination Letters;
Working with Ginny for the past nine years has been an absolute pleasure. She has always been an inspiration and a credit to MSKCC, not only for the care she provided for patients, but also for the colleague and friend she has been to all of us on the unit.
Post-operative cystectomy patients not only have the painful recovery of a major abdominal surgery, but they are also dealing with the emotional process of a new life with an ostomy. Ginny has perfected the delicate approach of educating these patients with the compassion and patience they need during this time. While ensuring they are competent to care for their ostomy on discharge she also manages to provide the emotional support they need to cope with a major life change.
We all have our own stories for what led us in to nursing and as varied, as they may be, most of those stories can be broken down to a simple innate need to help others. The fundamental purpose of bedside nursing is to provide care and interventions that can aid in restoring health in patients that are ill. It is what all of us nurses go to school for, to apply the nursing process and to heal. We sit for state standardized boards and if we pass we are registered nurses and ready to take a bite out of health care. The struggle for many new nurses, as competent as we are, is that there is more to being a good nurse than a degree and license.
I remember being a new nurse and being completely overwhelmed on orientation with my own patients. I could not understand how I could have just spent years in school and weeks studying for a test that was supposed to have prepared me for this and yet my head was spinning. I made it through orientation and somewhere in the chaos of those 3 months I realized that I would learn more from my coworkers than I ever could have learned in school. I would learn what kind of nurse I wanted to be.
What I have learned working with Ginny Pfeifer is how to be a nurse's-nurse. Through her selfless dedication she nurtures the spirit of the entire unit. Beyond her presence at the bedside and patient care she has become a strong support for the M5 family. She is the non judgmental voice of reason, always lifting her colleagues up during difficult times on the unit. She has the knowledge base of nearly 35 years of nursing and manages to be an invaluable resource to all of us. The close knit culture of our unit, our teamwork and the care we take of each other is behavior learned from Ginny's example. In order to take of patients we have to take care of each other, we have to be a nurses-nurse. She is for me a daily inspiration and the most deserving candidate that I could think of for the DAISY Award. Submitted by colleague E.M.
...
Ginny is always there to help you when you need it. Her support is what gives our staff such confidence and calm when approaching the most complicated of patients. Without her our patients would really be missing out on a superior educator. I love Ginny and am so happy she has been chosen by our staff to be nominated. She absolutely deserves it!" M.P.
...
Ginny has always been a pleasure to work with, her patients love her and anyone who has worked with her loves her. E.O'N.
...
When I started as a new nurse, Ginny was the epitome of what I wanted to be as a nurse. She was kind professional and always a team player and you could tell she just loved being a Nurse. E.C.
...
For those of you who have not heard of Ginny, she is one of the CWOCN for Memorial Sloan Kettering. I have worked with Ginny for four and a half years and believe her to be an excellent candidate for this award.
Ginny's job is a very difficult one in that she is educating patients on how to care for their new appliances or wounds. These patients are not always easy to approach and teach as they are depressed about their new appearance. Ginny's kind demeanor, soft touch and smiling face helps to calm the patients and with this approach she alleviates all their fears.
Ginny is never too busy to attend to a patient. She spends time comforting them in their most frightening experience. Patients always return to M5 to visit with Ginny and thank her for her remarkable care and ensure her they would never have gotten through this time without her.
In my opinion there is no one more deserving of this award. Ginny is the definition of "Excellence in Nursing". I am honored to work by her side and can only hope to accomplish as mush throughout my career. Submitted by Colleague G.R.
...
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one meaning of the word daisy is "a first rate person or thing". My nomination for the DAISY award is the epitome of a "daisy" person. Ginny Pfeifer, CWOCN on Memorial fifth floor, is a role model to all nurses she encounters. I have worked with Ginny for over three years now. Through my experiences with Ginny I have learned dedication, patience, and skill. The individualized care that Ginny gives each and every one of her patients exemplifies not only her expertise within the specialty of ostomy and wound care but also her passion. Another definition of the word daisy is "one that is notable or deemed excellent". I cannot think of one example that makes Ginny an excellent nominee because every patient encounter I have had with Ginny has been an educational and wonderful experience. Ginny teaches her fellow staff and patients along with their families with a calm demeanor and diligence that I have not seen in many other nurses thus far in my career. Ginny is a nurse that I truly look up to as a role model in the nursing profession. Ginny has been able to take on the task of CWOCN on our unit and throughout the entire Memorial Sloan Kettering community. She has touched the lives of her patients, their families and her peers through her amazing and caring character. Submitted by Colleague L.C.
...
When I first started on M5 5 years ago, I knew Ginny was a staple to the unit. She was respected, knowledgeable, and a friend to all. As a new nurse, I admired to her skill, and as our own personal, professional friendship has developed, I have witnessed first-hand just how truly special Ginny is. As the CWOCN, Ginny makes a connection with each patient and their families who are faced with the new challenges of ostomies and wounds. Ginny creates an individualized plan for each of them, and works with them closely to feel more comfortable with the care. Many of these patients are extremely overwhelmed with a new ostomy and Ginny is there every step of their inpatient stay to ensure they leave feeling well-prepared and confident to go home and care for themselves. Her patience and compassion for each patient is evident in every encounter she has with them.
In addition to her expertise in wound and ostomy care, Ginny is an invaluable leader on our unit. She is willing to assist any colleague with any task. She is a patient teacher, a knowledgeable resource, and a kind presence to be around. She has taught me so much, and I continue to look up to her and her career as a nurse here at Sloan Kettering. I can think of no better person to receive the honor of the Daisy Award and I am proud to nominate her as a colleague and friend. Submitted by colleague C. d l M.
...
I have worked with Ginny Pfeifer for the last 11 years. She has always been a wonderful co-worker and friend.
Ginny is an excellent clinical nurse with an expertise in wound care. She is always willing to help out the other floor nurses in dealing with difficult drains, ostomies and wounds. On a day to day basis she works side by side with all of the staff planning and executing the plan of care for all of the ostomy patients and their families.
For me, working with Ginny has been such a great learning experience. She is always willing to teach and show new methods and products that will help the patients and the staff. Outside of her regular work environment Ginny at times gets called to other areas and outpatient facilities to help with a problematic ostomy, and always goes with a smile and a helping hand. Ginny is an outstanding nurse, co- worker and friend. Ginny is the epitome of the bedside nurse, she is dedicated to excellent patient care, she is a support and mentor for staff and she consistently fosters teamwork and collegiality. It is with great respect and admiration that I nominate Ginny for the Daisy award. Submitted by colleague K.M.
Nomination Letters;
Working with Ginny for the past nine years has been an absolute pleasure. She has always been an inspiration and a credit to MSKCC, not only for the care she provided for patients, but also for the colleague and friend she has been to all of us on the unit.
Post-operative cystectomy patients not only have the painful recovery of a major abdominal surgery, but they are also dealing with the emotional process of a new life with an ostomy. Ginny has perfected the delicate approach of educating these patients with the compassion and patience they need during this time. While ensuring they are competent to care for their ostomy on discharge she also manages to provide the emotional support they need to cope with a major life change.
We all have our own stories for what led us in to nursing and as varied, as they may be, most of those stories can be broken down to a simple innate need to help others. The fundamental purpose of bedside nursing is to provide care and interventions that can aid in restoring health in patients that are ill. It is what all of us nurses go to school for, to apply the nursing process and to heal. We sit for state standardized boards and if we pass we are registered nurses and ready to take a bite out of health care. The struggle for many new nurses, as competent as we are, is that there is more to being a good nurse than a degree and license.
I remember being a new nurse and being completely overwhelmed on orientation with my own patients. I could not understand how I could have just spent years in school and weeks studying for a test that was supposed to have prepared me for this and yet my head was spinning. I made it through orientation and somewhere in the chaos of those 3 months I realized that I would learn more from my coworkers than I ever could have learned in school. I would learn what kind of nurse I wanted to be.
What I have learned working with Ginny Pfeifer is how to be a nurse's-nurse. Through her selfless dedication she nurtures the spirit of the entire unit. Beyond her presence at the bedside and patient care she has become a strong support for the M5 family. She is the non judgmental voice of reason, always lifting her colleagues up during difficult times on the unit. She has the knowledge base of nearly 35 years of nursing and manages to be an invaluable resource to all of us. The close knit culture of our unit, our teamwork and the care we take of each other is behavior learned from Ginny's example. In order to take of patients we have to take care of each other, we have to be a nurses-nurse. She is for me a daily inspiration and the most deserving candidate that I could think of for the DAISY Award. Submitted by colleague E.M.
...
Ginny is always there to help you when you need it. Her support is what gives our staff such confidence and calm when approaching the most complicated of patients. Without her our patients would really be missing out on a superior educator. I love Ginny and am so happy she has been chosen by our staff to be nominated. She absolutely deserves it!" M.P.
...
Ginny has always been a pleasure to work with, her patients love her and anyone who has worked with her loves her. E.O'N.
...
When I started as a new nurse, Ginny was the epitome of what I wanted to be as a nurse. She was kind professional and always a team player and you could tell she just loved being a Nurse. E.C.
...
For those of you who have not heard of Ginny, she is one of the CWOCN for Memorial Sloan Kettering. I have worked with Ginny for four and a half years and believe her to be an excellent candidate for this award.
Ginny's job is a very difficult one in that she is educating patients on how to care for their new appliances or wounds. These patients are not always easy to approach and teach as they are depressed about their new appearance. Ginny's kind demeanor, soft touch and smiling face helps to calm the patients and with this approach she alleviates all their fears.
Ginny is never too busy to attend to a patient. She spends time comforting them in their most frightening experience. Patients always return to M5 to visit with Ginny and thank her for her remarkable care and ensure her they would never have gotten through this time without her.
In my opinion there is no one more deserving of this award. Ginny is the definition of "Excellence in Nursing". I am honored to work by her side and can only hope to accomplish as mush throughout my career. Submitted by Colleague G.R.
...
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, one meaning of the word daisy is "a first rate person or thing". My nomination for the DAISY award is the epitome of a "daisy" person. Ginny Pfeifer, CWOCN on Memorial fifth floor, is a role model to all nurses she encounters. I have worked with Ginny for over three years now. Through my experiences with Ginny I have learned dedication, patience, and skill. The individualized care that Ginny gives each and every one of her patients exemplifies not only her expertise within the specialty of ostomy and wound care but also her passion. Another definition of the word daisy is "one that is notable or deemed excellent". I cannot think of one example that makes Ginny an excellent nominee because every patient encounter I have had with Ginny has been an educational and wonderful experience. Ginny teaches her fellow staff and patients along with their families with a calm demeanor and diligence that I have not seen in many other nurses thus far in my career. Ginny is a nurse that I truly look up to as a role model in the nursing profession. Ginny has been able to take on the task of CWOCN on our unit and throughout the entire Memorial Sloan Kettering community. She has touched the lives of her patients, their families and her peers through her amazing and caring character. Submitted by Colleague L.C.
...
When I first started on M5 5 years ago, I knew Ginny was a staple to the unit. She was respected, knowledgeable, and a friend to all. As a new nurse, I admired to her skill, and as our own personal, professional friendship has developed, I have witnessed first-hand just how truly special Ginny is. As the CWOCN, Ginny makes a connection with each patient and their families who are faced with the new challenges of ostomies and wounds. Ginny creates an individualized plan for each of them, and works with them closely to feel more comfortable with the care. Many of these patients are extremely overwhelmed with a new ostomy and Ginny is there every step of their inpatient stay to ensure they leave feeling well-prepared and confident to go home and care for themselves. Her patience and compassion for each patient is evident in every encounter she has with them.
In addition to her expertise in wound and ostomy care, Ginny is an invaluable leader on our unit. She is willing to assist any colleague with any task. She is a patient teacher, a knowledgeable resource, and a kind presence to be around. She has taught me so much, and I continue to look up to her and her career as a nurse here at Sloan Kettering. I can think of no better person to receive the honor of the Daisy Award and I am proud to nominate her as a colleague and friend. Submitted by colleague C. d l M.
...
I have worked with Ginny Pfeifer for the last 11 years. She has always been a wonderful co-worker and friend.
Ginny is an excellent clinical nurse with an expertise in wound care. She is always willing to help out the other floor nurses in dealing with difficult drains, ostomies and wounds. On a day to day basis she works side by side with all of the staff planning and executing the plan of care for all of the ostomy patients and their families.
For me, working with Ginny has been such a great learning experience. She is always willing to teach and show new methods and products that will help the patients and the staff. Outside of her regular work environment Ginny at times gets called to other areas and outpatient facilities to help with a problematic ostomy, and always goes with a smile and a helping hand. Ginny is an outstanding nurse, co- worker and friend. Ginny is the epitome of the bedside nurse, she is dedicated to excellent patient care, she is a support and mentor for staff and she consistently fosters teamwork and collegiality. It is with great respect and admiration that I nominate Ginny for the Daisy award. Submitted by colleague K.M.