November 2020
Ashlee
Long
,
BSN, RN
Medical Intensive Care Unit
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Ashlee, determined to help this patient with her last wishes, found a way to make both of these things happen. Watching this patient loving on her dog before she passed away was an extremely beautiful moment.
Since I started working in the MICU, 10 years ago, Ashlee Long has been a wonderful mentor to me. Through these years I have watched Ashlee be such a strong support to our unit that I couldn't let it go unrecognized any longer.
She is a helper. She is charge nurse often and on these days the unit runs smoothly. She makes sure that the unit is clean and tidy. She puts things away that have been left out overnight or sometimes for days. If the equipment room is a mess, she will straighten it up. If one of the nurses gets an admission, or you come back from traveling with your patient, Ashlee will be there helping you settle them in with a quickness. Oh, and not just settling them in; documenting first vital signs, admission assessment (if possible), labs, cleaning all equipment that needs to leave the room, and then putting that equipment away. She is quick, efficient, and does it all with grace. Ashlee gets stuff done!
She is a scheduler. This is no easy feat! Being sure to follow all our scheduling rules and guidelines, Ashlee works hard and uses many hours of her own time to accommodate everyone. She truly tries her best to give the staff the schedule that they sign up for.
She is a knowledgeable leader. Ashlee is a very competent charge nurse. She communicates well with the NAC, the doctors, our nurse manager, and staff. She makes sure everyone gets a lunch. She really knows the hospital and its policies as well as who to ask if she doesn't know something. The MICU nurses can rely on her when they have questions about anything.
She goes above and beyond. She stepped up to help with wound care when our CNS was out due to COVID-19. She did not have to do this, but she truly cares about our unit and wanted to be of service.
She is a caring, compassionate nurse. An example I will never forget is when Ashlee had a patient who was at the end of her life. This patient wanted a strawberry milkshake and even more, wanted to see her beloved dog one last time. Ashlee, determined to help this patient with her last wishes, found a way to make both of these things happen. Watching this patient loving on her dog before she passed away was an extremely beautiful moment.
I learned what it means to be an Extraordinary Nurse on this day. She has and will continue to show us throughout her career.
She is a helper. She is charge nurse often and on these days the unit runs smoothly. She makes sure that the unit is clean and tidy. She puts things away that have been left out overnight or sometimes for days. If the equipment room is a mess, she will straighten it up. If one of the nurses gets an admission, or you come back from traveling with your patient, Ashlee will be there helping you settle them in with a quickness. Oh, and not just settling them in; documenting first vital signs, admission assessment (if possible), labs, cleaning all equipment that needs to leave the room, and then putting that equipment away. She is quick, efficient, and does it all with grace. Ashlee gets stuff done!
She is a scheduler. This is no easy feat! Being sure to follow all our scheduling rules and guidelines, Ashlee works hard and uses many hours of her own time to accommodate everyone. She truly tries her best to give the staff the schedule that they sign up for.
She is a knowledgeable leader. Ashlee is a very competent charge nurse. She communicates well with the NAC, the doctors, our nurse manager, and staff. She makes sure everyone gets a lunch. She really knows the hospital and its policies as well as who to ask if she doesn't know something. The MICU nurses can rely on her when they have questions about anything.
She goes above and beyond. She stepped up to help with wound care when our CNS was out due to COVID-19. She did not have to do this, but she truly cares about our unit and wanted to be of service.
She is a caring, compassionate nurse. An example I will never forget is when Ashlee had a patient who was at the end of her life. This patient wanted a strawberry milkshake and even more, wanted to see her beloved dog one last time. Ashlee, determined to help this patient with her last wishes, found a way to make both of these things happen. Watching this patient loving on her dog before she passed away was an extremely beautiful moment.
I learned what it means to be an Extraordinary Nurse on this day. She has and will continue to show us throughout her career.