Leadership with Compassion is a skill set not easily taught. Laura Giordano is a Professional Nurse Leader who exemplifies leadership with compassion. Ever since she joined the Wound Care Center as an RN years ago, she cared for her patients as if they were her family. Laura’s compassionate approach to her patients, her team, and the many hours she put into the Wound Care Center over the years makes her stand out as someone who exemplifies the qualities that the DAISY Foundation holds in highest esteem for their vision of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.

JFKUMC’s Wound Care Center is among 10 across the HMH Network, but the only one that is Joint Commission accredited. The compassionate nursing care, led by Laura Giordano, is second to none. In fact, during a recent TJC survey, a patient was crying as the surveyor was touring. When asked if she was okay, the patient said, “I just feel like I am so cared for here, like they really care for me as if I am their own family.” That’s because Laura’s compassion in action, nursing practice, and leadership style translate to an entire team for how we care for our patients in the JFKUMC Wound Care Center.

Another surveyor asked a patient, “Do you know what you're supposed to do to take care of yourself?” And the patient replied, yes and proceeded to list everything they had been educated on. That type of impact on a patient only happens when care is delivered compassionately as patients remember how we made them feel - cared for like family.

Some of the other comments provided by the surveyor at the closing conference capture well what makes Laura Giordano’s nursing team at the Wound Care Center such a model:

“This survey was a joy... I was impressed with the longevity of the staff which is a testament to leadership...I was impressed with the good engagement with patients, great documentation, and consistency with all the nurse documentation across the board...I was impressed with the education provided to patients and what patients expressed as I toured the department, 'they cared about me.'

In conclusion, impressive review of the program, staff, and providers. I would like to see all wound programs run like this. I will recommend that if any programs have questions, they contact you."

We receive many very gratifying compliments from surveyors but I think it is fair to say that it doesn't get any better than this! Our patients, our teams, our Wound Care Center, and JFKUMC is gifted with Laura’s Professional Nursing Practice and her Compassionate Nursing Leadership.