Yanira has been a member of the RGH ED Nursing Team since 2007. She is a bedside nurse, triage nurse, preceptor, and charge nurse. She is currently an FNP student at St. John Fisher University. Yanira demonstrates the Values of the Organization by advocating for the patients, families, and team members during every encounter. As the weekend day shift Charge Nurse, she is fair, organized, and able to maintain a professional atmosphere in the department. She constantly rounds on patients and staff to ensure a safe environment and identifies the “hot spots” for patient deterioration and escalation of security issues. She follows up with ED Nursing Administration and the Off Shift Director proactively on issues that she and team members have identified during the weekend shifts.

Handoff to the oncoming shift Charge Nurse is accurate and complete. Yanira works with the floors and critical care units to promote admission to the right place for the right patient at the right time. As the triage nurse, she is in constant communication with the ED Charge Nurse and Providers in placing patients in the expanded geographical footprint of the department. Staffing on the weekends is challenging with sick calls, agency nurses, and surge nurses. She is able to quickly flex the staffing sheets to guarantee the patient needs and staff competencies match for optimal outcomes.

As a preceptor, she provides experiences for new nurses that are consistent with their orientation plan and makes the orientee feel supported. Clinically, Yanira is a clinical nurse expert on weekends and is available to new team members for advice. One example was on a recent Stroke Alert when the patient required TNK (Tenecteplase) for a stroke. Yanira organized the team to respond to CT-64, arranged for the appropriate bed in the department and verified that the bedside nurse was educated on the vital sign and NIH Stroke Scale frequency.

As a nurse with a multicultural background, she is an advocate for the diverse population that we serve. Before the translator phones and iPad, she was a certified Spanish translator. She assists the providers with cultural concerns of patients and meets the patient basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter when they are discharged. She understands that these basic needs must be met for the patient/family compliance with their discharge instructions and follow-up health care. The patients, EMS agencies, and Rochester Police Department come to the ED and ask if Yanira is working because she has a genuine concern for vulnerable populations. Her goal after FNP graduation is to work in the community with these patient groups.