We nominated the entire staff of 1400 for being open and willing to elevate their clinical practice in order to assist UMC in providing "flap" care to those patients requiring ENT reconstruction or massive resection with reconstruction due to oncological problems. These patients require critical care level skills and constant vigilance. These patients must have perfect nursing care to recover well and have any hope of a quality of life. These patients recover because of their nurses not because of anyone else.
The staff had to complete extensive education, learn new technical competencies, increase their assessment skills, and learn to recognize subtle changes in circulation to the reconstructive site requiring immediate intervention. These patients are at risk for infection, airway issues, and failure to heal due to nutritional concerns, poor flap management, and poor attention to basic nursing care. Because of this, the staff must assume a 1:1 assignment for these patients at the same time they are experiencing increased numbers of higher-risk transplant patients. The staffing needs require all team members to be flexible and to stretch resources to care for every patient well.
The surgeons are very pleased with the care being provided by 1400 staff. They have been enthusiastic, engaged, willing, professional, and demonstrate the Magnet model of ongoing excellence! 1400 is role modeling what all nurses should be like in a Magnet environment. We are so proud of them. Their patients thank them, their surgeon colleagues thank them, and we thank them. They represent what the DAISY Award is all about. We couldn't recognize one staff member. All are equally deserving!