Alicia Wankum
October 2023
Alicia
Wankum
,
LPN
Progressive Care Unit
Capital Region Medical Center
Jefferson City
,
MO
United States
Alicia treated me like I was important to her. I felt like I was in the safest place in the world with her. I know she is young and probably has many things to learn about medicine, but no one could teach her anything new about making patients feel cared for and important.
The DAISY Award nominations are typically in response to a nurse going above and beyond for a specific patient or family. It was evident from the nomination that Alicia, makes “going above and beyond” a part of her nursing practice. While I’ve only known Alicia for a short while, it is evident that nursing is her calling. When you see Alicia caring for patients or interacting with her coworkers you see a nurse who loves her patients and her team. Alicia comes to work with a smile and a positive attitude and shows compassion to all her patients. Alicia takes time with each patient to meet their needs. Alicia is an amazing nurse and an amazing teammate. She treats everyone on the team with respect. Although she is still considered a “new nurse” she makes herself available to help whenever needed. She embodies the profession of nursing and is a valuable asset, not only to Capital Region Medical Center, but to the profession of nursing. As described in the patient’s nomination, Alicia made a meaningful difference in his care.
These are his words: “I was admitted as a patient for chest pain and spent the night under Alicia’s care. All night long Alicia was available for any needs. The thing that stands out to me the most about Alicia is that every time she entered my room, she was wearing a bright smile. She made sure that I was comfortable and that she cared about me and my concerns. I’ve been around other medical facilities where staff were clinical and did their jobs but didn’t seem to make a personal connection to patients. Alicia treated me like I was important to her. I felt like I was in the safest place in the world with her. I know she is young and probably has many things to learn about medicine, but no one could teach her anything new about making patients feel cared for and important. I will never forget her kindness.
Alicia, when your mother was notified about your nomination and award, she said the following: Alicia was made to be a nurse. She previously worked in a clinic and said she didn’t feel like it was the type of “nursing” she desired. Now when she comes home from a shift, she is excited and talks about her experiences. She has definitely found her calling.
These are his words: “I was admitted as a patient for chest pain and spent the night under Alicia’s care. All night long Alicia was available for any needs. The thing that stands out to me the most about Alicia is that every time she entered my room, she was wearing a bright smile. She made sure that I was comfortable and that she cared about me and my concerns. I’ve been around other medical facilities where staff were clinical and did their jobs but didn’t seem to make a personal connection to patients. Alicia treated me like I was important to her. I felt like I was in the safest place in the world with her. I know she is young and probably has many things to learn about medicine, but no one could teach her anything new about making patients feel cared for and important. I will never forget her kindness.
Alicia, when your mother was notified about your nomination and award, she said the following: Alicia was made to be a nurse. She previously worked in a clinic and said she didn’t feel like it was the type of “nursing” she desired. Now when she comes home from a shift, she is excited and talks about her experiences. She has definitely found her calling.