June 2023
Tak M
Yan
,
MSN, APN, RN
ICU
Chilton Medical Center
Pompton Plains
,
NJ
United States
Our ICU night shift has come to rely heavily on him for his knowledge, calm demeanor under pressure, and the positive energy and charm he brings to the unit. We are very fortunate to have him.
This practitioner is easily one of the most reliable and hardworking nurses that I have ever had the experience of working with. He has advanced his career to advanced practice nurse and obtained his PhD, served the public as an active member in the military, and has still maintained his compassion for the bedside. Our ICU night shift has come to rely heavily on him for his knowledge, calm demeanor under pressure, and the positive energy and charm he brings to the unit. We are very fortunate to have him. He even pushes us to go back to school and start studying for certifications because it is his nature to push us to further our careers and celebrate our successes with us.
Over the past year, he has understood how staffing plays such an important part in patient outcomes and has stepped up to help us in whatever capacity we need. He takes the time to educate the new nurses and knows how to make people laugh. Even as a practitioner, he does not hesitate to draw labs, help clean and turn patients, do EKGs, and titrate drips when we can’t be in two places at once. When the unit has a high acuity and the most experienced nurse must attend an RRT, he comes out to the unit as a resource for the newer nurses without having to ask.
He has not lost his passion for the bedside, even with his immense skill as a practitioner. A personal example of this is a memory that is very important to me but second nature to him, as he constantly puts himself in situations where his leadership skills, compassion, and dedication to his patients show. I was assigned 2 high-acuity patients and was trying to manage them both, and I was stuck in a covid room for a long period of time. Tak took the time to speak with the family of my other patient, who eventually decided to initiate comfort measures. They said their goodbyes and chose to leave prior to the palliative extubation. As bedside nurses, we understand the importance of not wanting our patients to pass away alone. Tak saw how busy I was with my other critical patient and called respiratory therapy himself to coordinate the care needed to extubate the patient. He worked with the RT and then chose to sit at the bedside with the patient until they passed away. To Tak, this was a small act of kindness. To me, I saw a practitioner who can recognize the needs of his staff and his patients. He stepped in when I could not be there myself, coordinated the necessary care, and stayed with the patient in their last moments. As the practitioner, it was not his responsibility to do any of this, as he could have placed the orders and followed up on the outcome later in the shift. However, he knew I was busy and chose to help me while also allowing the patient to pass with dignity and with someone at their side.
The ICU is extremely grateful to have Tak as a leader, resource, and coworker. He puts a smile on people's faces and puts people at ease knowing he is there. I constantly hear people say, “It’s okay, Tak is here tonight,” in response to any sort of chaos. He is the kind of person who does not want recognition for his actions because, to him, they are just a part of the standard of care he chooses to uphold. For that reason, I believe he is the most deserving of the award.
Over the past year, he has understood how staffing plays such an important part in patient outcomes and has stepped up to help us in whatever capacity we need. He takes the time to educate the new nurses and knows how to make people laugh. Even as a practitioner, he does not hesitate to draw labs, help clean and turn patients, do EKGs, and titrate drips when we can’t be in two places at once. When the unit has a high acuity and the most experienced nurse must attend an RRT, he comes out to the unit as a resource for the newer nurses without having to ask.
He has not lost his passion for the bedside, even with his immense skill as a practitioner. A personal example of this is a memory that is very important to me but second nature to him, as he constantly puts himself in situations where his leadership skills, compassion, and dedication to his patients show. I was assigned 2 high-acuity patients and was trying to manage them both, and I was stuck in a covid room for a long period of time. Tak took the time to speak with the family of my other patient, who eventually decided to initiate comfort measures. They said their goodbyes and chose to leave prior to the palliative extubation. As bedside nurses, we understand the importance of not wanting our patients to pass away alone. Tak saw how busy I was with my other critical patient and called respiratory therapy himself to coordinate the care needed to extubate the patient. He worked with the RT and then chose to sit at the bedside with the patient until they passed away. To Tak, this was a small act of kindness. To me, I saw a practitioner who can recognize the needs of his staff and his patients. He stepped in when I could not be there myself, coordinated the necessary care, and stayed with the patient in their last moments. As the practitioner, it was not his responsibility to do any of this, as he could have placed the orders and followed up on the outcome later in the shift. However, he knew I was busy and chose to help me while also allowing the patient to pass with dignity and with someone at their side.
The ICU is extremely grateful to have Tak as a leader, resource, and coworker. He puts a smile on people's faces and puts people at ease knowing he is there. I constantly hear people say, “It’s okay, Tak is here tonight,” in response to any sort of chaos. He is the kind of person who does not want recognition for his actions because, to him, they are just a part of the standard of care he chooses to uphold. For that reason, I believe he is the most deserving of the award.