Melissa Cook's commitment to quality takes her far beyond the halls of her own Cardiovascular Progressive Care Unit. She is a team member on three DSRIP projects, initiatives funded by the state's Medicaid 1115 Waiver to improve healthcare delivery, focused on preventing costly hospital-acquired infections that kill thousands of patients across the country each year.

"Melissa has a take-charge attitude that enables her to accept challenges and aid in sustained process change," said manager Nancy Radtke.

The sepsis DSRIP team has implemented process improvements credited with cutting the sepsis mortality rate at JPS in half since 2012. Cook is also on the CAUTI and CLABSI teams at JPS, working on protocols to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections and central line-associated bloodstream infections.

She's also on the hospital's Infection Control, EPIC End User, Safety and Quality committees, as well as Nursing's Web page committee, working on nurse-friendly format changes. On her unit, she is FIT tester, safety officer and EPIC super-user. She developed her unit's "Welcome to P4" brochure for patients, with feedback from P4's unit council (which she co-chairs,) and coordinates the unit's newsletter.

None of this takes away from patient care, Radtke said, sharing content of a recent WOW! written by a patient. "Above and beyond duty," patient B.B. wrote. "She hand-washed my clothes for me. She is here when I need her and she exudes excellence."