Tamera S. Krukiel is the recipient of Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing’s inaugural DAISY Faculty Award, May 2015.
The award celebrates the essential leadership role that Mrs. Krukiel has played in the development and delivery of Gerontological Concepts & Issues, a fourth year course in the baccalaureate program. Her lifelong love of nursing, as well as her respect and her special devotion to the aged, are symbolic of Mrs. Krukiel’s nursing education instruction, as exhibited in the nomination submitted by a student recently completing the geriatric nursing course:
“Mrs. Krukiel is a model for the nursing profession… Not only did she teach us about the geriatric population and the special considerations to keep in mind when caring for the geriatric population, such as medication clearance and kidney function (GFR), but she also made the class interactive. We had a class where we learned about various conditions the geriatric population struggles with, and then experienced those conditions ourselves. We wore a variety of glasses that simulated various vision issues experienced by the geriatric population; we taped our fingers together and tried to complete simple tasks to simulate arthritis, and wore gardening gloves to pick up very small beads and experienced the difficultly the geriatric population must have with their fine motor skills; we wore shoes on the wrong feet to feel what it was like to have arthritis of the feet and to feel imbalanced; we tried to smell with cotton balls in our noses to represent the loss of smell; we tried carrying grocery bags when using a walker, and opening a door when using a wheelchair. It really opened my eyes, and the eyes of my classmates, to the difficulties the elderly experience. Mrs. Krukiel not only has taught us about the geriatric population, but she models the way a professional nurse should act. She is kind, cares about all of her students, is available at all times if we need help, supports her students, and challenges us to think in ways we haven't before. She is a world class teacher. I'm grateful for the opportunity to nominate such an amazing instructor for the award. EVERY student who has had her loves her and speaks highly of her. She truly deserves recognition for all of her hard work and her dedication to her students” (submitted by Nicole Bayer, 2015).
The DAISY Faculty Award program engaged many nominations of our Faculty, and these nominations were notable and heartfelt. The Nomination Review Committee, however, made the final decision based on the clarity of Tamera Krukiel’s nomination, that is, the impact that one nurse can make on many.
Tamera Krukiel, you are greatly and sincerely valued for the inspiration you provide to our future nurses!