When I think of Nichole, I am reminded of a young leader, passionate about patient safety and nursing excellence. Her team means a lot to her. They are her family. They confide in her, cry with her, laugh with her, and yes at times even argue with her, but that is because they are her family. Nichole has been able to create a safe, compassionate environment, that has fostered innovation and growth. I have witnessed Nichole on numerous occasions transporting patients, covering breaks, coaching her team and ordering food, or the drinks with the balls in them during difficult times. They relate to her in such a way that makes me feel proud of the person she is. Because she has been able to create a haven of safety for her staff both physically and emotionally. Their feedback matters a lot to her.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the world in many ways. The uncertainty surrounding this pandemic has affected our teams tremendously. The MICU is the COVID ICU. The unit where the very sick come to be healed. Nichole and her team took the challenge head-on, and have contributed to changes we have made to ensure we continue to provide compassionate care during this difficult time. The use of technology, such as FaceTime or iPads, to ensure families see and/or speak with their loved ones, ideas such as the Scrub depot to support our frontline teams when caring for our COVID positive patients or the creation of a "Party Pack" when proning patients, are examples of how a safe environment can help improve patient outcomes.
Leadership is not about telling people what to do. But it's about the ability of a person to create an environment that motivates people to achieve certain goals. Nichole has been able to consistently inspire her team to care like family.