I would like to recommend Bisi Dada, RN for The DAISY Award for her demonstrated “Commitment” to the VHA mission, vision, and core values. Although Ms. Dada is primarily assigned as to GI Laboratory as the Charge Nurse, she recently played a critical role in preventing endoscopy patient care service to our Veterans in our medical center from being delayed, rescheduled, and or canceled.

The GI Laboratory experienced multiple unplanned and extended GI Technician staffing shortages in a short time frame that threatened procedure room closures and placed already scheduled endoscopy procedures at risk for delay, rescheduling, and or cancellation. To prevent an interruption in Veteran access to endoscopy services at our medical center Ms. Dada volunteered to be cross-trained to work in the GI Scrub Nurse role. Ms. Dada is now able to independently set up and break down procedure rooms, ensure proper use and care of endoscopes, collect specimens, and assist physicians with endoscopy procedures.

Ms. Dada's ability to work in the GI Scrub Nurse role has resulted in over $99,000.00 in cost savings for the medical center. Referral of Veterans to Community Care Network (CCN) endoscopy facilities would have resulted in significant revenue loss to the medical center. According to Medicare.gov, the projected financial loss to the medical center for each esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) performed at a CCN facility would have been $965, colonoscopy $1,261, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) $3,503. Finally, Ms. Dada's contribution prevented Veteran dissatisfaction and permanent loss (which is priceless) to CCN facilities by enabling our medical center to continue endoscopy services uninterrupted.