During this tumultuous time of COVID-19, our small department had additional transitions including a new Department Chief, new Associate, and retiring of our long time Physician and Chief, as well as retiring of our per diem RN and our other RN having to take extended leave due to extenuating circumstances, our incredible nurse Suzanne Torres stepped up to the plate, leaned in, and demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment.
Leadership: Suzanne took over back-office management of our department's complex testing, immunotherapy injections, ordering and stocking of our materials.
Service: For Suzanne, the members always come first. Despite being so busy with all of the work, she treats every patient with patience and compassion, answering phone calls, giving appropriate advice, and of course, discussing or scheduling visits with a physician when necessary. She knows her patients so well, and often anticipates their needs, relaying them to the physicians so we are aware and can order their testing or injections quickly when appropriate.
Commitment to Excellence: In working 10 years as a physician I have not met another nurse like her. She is truly a diamond, committed to our members and department, adhering to all policy and procedures and guidelines, organizing our back-office protocols, and of course embracing any new strategic measures that Kaiser enacts.
Clinical Skills: Although we are a small outpatient department, we have a vast array of clinical responsibilities for our nurses, ranging from mixing immunotherapy, titrating injections, food/drug/vaccine challenges, contact dermatitis patch testing, and treating reactions (ranging from small local reactions to full-blown anaphylaxis). An effective and competent allergy nurse must be able to learn the different protocols for the many modalities that we use in our clinic and the reactions that can happen. Suzanne has excellent clinical judgment, she quickly notifies the MD of any reactions, takes vitals, and pulls out appropriate therapies, waiting for our order. She was able to grasp the intricacies of mixing allergy immunotherapy, adjusting doses, and any new protocols we develop and use for our patients. She is flexible, intelligent, organized, and clinically excellent.
Compassionate Care: Suzanne continues to provide excellent care to our allergy patients, answering their questions with patience and thoroughness, and relaying the message to us when needed. Our patients always give us feedback on how much they appreciate her.
Positive Influence: During the past two months with COVID-19 and also the changes in the department as stated above, Suzanne has taken the leadership role for our LVNs. She organizes potluck celebrations (with decorations) for birthdays, still with social distancing, and lets me (Department Chief) know if there are any concerns. She always has ideas to make our little department better, happier, and more positive.
Overall, I can say that Suzanne Torres, RN is the epitome of the best ambulatory nurse. She is smart, compassionate, organized, and a true leader. Our department would not be the same without her.