Jessica Tanner
November 2021
Jessica
Tanner
,
RN
Children's Mercy Kansas Emergency Department
Children's Mercy Kansas City
Overland Park
,
KS
United States
Jessica took the time to really listen to that mother, provide support and education, which left that mother feeling empowered.
Jessica Tanner has been a Critical Care Nurse in the Kansas Emergency Department for over 14 years. I have worked alongside her for all of those years and observed her grow to become a caring, competent, and valued colleague. Often nurses like Tanner tend to get overlooked for recognition because they are expected to be dependable in all situations. She is consistently able to handle every circumstance that comes her way, no matter how difficult it is interpersonally, clinically, or emotionally. She has the ability to build rapport with families in the short period of time she spends with them; always building their trust, educating them, providing clinically competent care, and advocating for their best interest. There are many families that remember the care they received from her and ask if she is working in the event they are unfortunate enough to be in the ED again. That speaks volumes to the impact she has on the families that come through our hospital.
She has become a great leader on our unit. Tanner is confident and knowledgeable and has the ability to critically think through situations that are challenging and intimidating. Our staff feel confident going to her for help and advice. She is thought of as a resource and a critical thinker and helps her peers see the big picture. She is the nurse you want by your side when you are caring for a critically ill patient.
It is difficult to choose one situation that stands out as more special than the others, but recently a young mother who had repeatedly sought care for her daughter elsewhere while her child continued to get worse ended up in our Emergency Department with nowhere else to turn. Tanner listened to her story, collaborated with the provider, and came up with a care plan that put the mother at ease. She took the time to really listen to that mother, provide support and education, which left that mother feeling empowered to care for her child and gave her a new understanding that she would be okay. The mother cried as she said goodbye to Tanner, thanking her for helping her that day. That encounter could have gone many different ways, but the care and compassion that Tanner was able to provide that day made a positive difference in that family’s life.
She has become a great leader on our unit. Tanner is confident and knowledgeable and has the ability to critically think through situations that are challenging and intimidating. Our staff feel confident going to her for help and advice. She is thought of as a resource and a critical thinker and helps her peers see the big picture. She is the nurse you want by your side when you are caring for a critically ill patient.
It is difficult to choose one situation that stands out as more special than the others, but recently a young mother who had repeatedly sought care for her daughter elsewhere while her child continued to get worse ended up in our Emergency Department with nowhere else to turn. Tanner listened to her story, collaborated with the provider, and came up with a care plan that put the mother at ease. She took the time to really listen to that mother, provide support and education, which left that mother feeling empowered to care for her child and gave her a new understanding that she would be okay. The mother cried as she said goodbye to Tanner, thanking her for helping her that day. That encounter could have gone many different ways, but the care and compassion that Tanner was able to provide that day made a positive difference in that family’s life.