Colleen Brady MBA, MSN, RN, CCRN contributes to the growth in our unit at every level. Colleen is always encouraging and reminding staff to be problem solvers rather than problem identifiers. Like many units throughout the country, the PCICU has experienced a surge of RNs leaving to pursue new career opportunities. Colleen has been creating innovative ways to onboard several new hires. She has created new orientation plans that will allow staff to orientate more nurses while preventing burnout.

Colleen always has our staff's best interest at hand. She recently presented a retention and recognition plan to the executive team at Advocate to acknowledge the multiple subspecialties our unit has been required to learn in the past two years. Colleen created a plan that specifically gives each staff member learning opportunities while keeping work/life balance as a priority. This took a great deal of coordination with the simulation lab, our physician team, as well as making sure to not take away from staffing of the unit. We have had a lot of change in our unit in the past two years and Colleen has been a constant in regard to support for onboarding new RNs.

Colleen meets with new hires frequently during orientation to ensure they are staying on track and getting exposure on everything to make them competent PCICU RNs. In addition to supporting the new orientees, Colleen is constantly checking in with our preceptors and encouraging them to request breaks when they are feeling burnt out. She has creatively found ways to provide hands-on education and created days such as "follow the leader" to offset some of the time for preceptors. Colleen works daily behind the scenes supporting our staff through advocating for the PCICU staff and making sure the workload it takes to work in the PCICU is known at a system level.

Aside from behind the scenes, Colleen is always aware of what is happening in the unit. You can find Colleen changing dressings, giving medications, or changing diapers between meetings. A perfect example is how Colleen rearranged her schedule this week to support shifts that were extremely short-staffed. Colleen came in at 3 am this morning to help with the night shift; she picked up an assignment and resourced the rest of the unit. It was clear this was a big stress reliever and helped our staff feel safe. This is just one example of the many times Colleen steps above and beyond to provide patient care and staff support. The PCICU and Advocate Children's Hospital are very lucky to have Colleen's leadership and dedication.