Gladys is oftentimes the charge nurse on the night shift on the Behavioral Health Unit. She has grown in her behavioral health nursing skills and always brings her wealth of med-surg knowledge to her patients. She shows sincere interest in all of our patients, not just the patients she is assigned to. She is well-versed in what is going on for all patients. She is highly regarded by fellow employees for her “going above and beyond” nursing care. She makes sound decisions when faced with multifaceted problems, especially on the night shift when many layers of administration are not readily available.

Patients who cannot sleep at night often get out of bed and talk with Gladys. I have many patient satisfaction comments about how kind she is, how she listens intently and always puts her patients first. She recognizes the need to concentrate on high-priority assignments during her shift and performs her tasks with a high degree of accuracy. She demonstrates empathy, thoroughness, and orderliness in performing work assignments. Gladys handles challenging situations with confidence and if she is unsure of her decision-making, she does not hesitate to ask, which makes her a stronger nurse. Gladys has very strong communication skills. She communicates clearly, concisely and with confidence. I have received multiple comments from the night supervisors about how dedicated she is and how well she communicates effectively with them.

We have had some challenging issues with PCAs needing to float to other units during this time of COVID. Gladys has been consistent and fair in her decisions of who needs to float, as difficult as this is many times. Her documentation is exemplary. She maintains thorough, descriptive, consistent, and accurate documentation on all of her patients. She leaves very detailed explanations of what occurred if there is a safety report from her shift on the Nurse Manager’s telephone line. Gladys works collaboratively with others for the benefit of the unit and the organization. She manages patient complaints in a professional manner and responds quickly and effectively to her ability. She recognizes potential adverse consequences of decisions made by patients during the night shift and consistently makes the right decision, always keeping in mind the therapeutic community in which our patients live.

Gladys does not think she is “above anybody”, whether patient or staff member. She is down-to-earth and always lends a helping hand to those in need. For all her hard work, we thank her for being a stellar behavioral health nurse who exemplifies what a behavioral health nurse should aspire to be.