Monaliza Gaw
February 2024
Monaliza
Gaw
,
DNP, RN, MPA, NEA-BC, FACHE, CPHQ
Administration
Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital
Austin
,
TX
United States
Mona’s uplifting approach brought our team together by creating a purpose-driven team culture.
The positive practice environment created by nurse leaders is a strong factor in how direct care nurses take care of patients. These leaders create a workplace where compassionate care thrives, and nurses deliver the quality of care that DAISY celebrates. During her tenure as CNO at Ascension Seton Northwest, Mona Gaw has exemplified kindness and compassion to patients, direct care nurses, leaders, and support staff. Mona remembers little details about everyone that provides an emotional haven for the person she is talking to. For example, she remembers that one of the staff nurses is allergic to chocolate. She remembers the family struggles of associates and offers compassionate support. She remembers the names of the associate’s family members and what they like to do outside of work. Remembering these details about people extends kindness and provides a level of psychological safety where associates are comfortable bringing up more difficult issues with her, as she gracefully listens to understand and provides support. Mona cares deeply about our associates and is highly visible, especially during tough times.
Mona promotes an environment that provides meaningful recognition for direct care nurses and nurse leaders. Whenever Mona comes back from a conference, she brings a gift to the nursing leaders so they can experience a bit of the city she is visiting. Through Mona’s support, the Shared Governance Advisory Council (composed of direct care nurses) implemented the Out of This World Award, where ancillary departments are recognized for the difference they make to patients and the clinical team. As a strong advocate for patient safety and quality, Mona created the Great Catch Award, where an associate is given a signed baseball in front of their peers to celebrate their significant contribution to patient safety. Through her guidance and mentorship, she empowers associates to excel in their roles and make meaningful contributions to patient outcomes. Mona initiated the first Certified Nurses lunch celebration, in which she recognized all nurses who had taken the initiative to validate their clinical skills and knowledge. She also created the annual Nursing Excellence Awards, where she gives nurse leaders the opportunity to recognize their clinical team, and she takes the time to celebrate the nursing leadership team in front of their direct reports. Mona’s commitment to meaningful recognition is often shown when she reminds leaders to nominate a nurse or a non-clinical staff for a DAISY, BEE, or Excellence in Action. She also sends hand-written notes to the team and takes the time to write holiday greetings to our associates.
Mona is exceptionally compassionate to all she meets. For example, she cared for the dog of a patient who was admitted to the intensive care unit. The patient had no one to care for the dog and needed some extra care. Mona took the dog to a veterinarian so it could be vaccinated and worked with an ICU nurse to groom the dog. Mona’s family took care of the dog for nine days, and upon the patient’s discharge, Mona reunited the dog with his family and provided lots of treats. This is but one example of how Mona extends kindness and serves others.
Mona is committed to the professional development of the nursing leadership team. Mona provides books, short videos, and mindfulness activities that help facilitate leadership growth so the nursing leadership team may become more effective, resilient, and adaptive leaders who are able to pivot with the changing healthcare environment. Mona is committed to setting the leadership team for success by providing a space for guidance and discovering paths for professional growth. On the last Monday of every month, Mona sets aside dedicated time for the growth and development of the nursing leadership team. Past sessions have included an assessment of the strengths of each nurse leader using the Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0 book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, a group reading of Together is Better by Simon Sinek and multiple discussions on how to improve ourselves and our teams. She also worked with the Mission Integration team to facilitate our Enneagram assessment, which allowed us to better understand each other’s communication styles, strengths, and motivations. She motivates the team to give their best and celebrates them while balancing opportunities for coaching and development. Mona’s ability to inspire and motivate nurse leaders has been instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence and teamwork. She mentored each leader to work collaboratively towards shared goals, which has benefited our patients positively. Mona’s uplifting approach brought our team together by creating a purpose-driven team culture.
Mona’s infectious positivity and joy resonate throughout the hospital as she connects with clinical and ancillary staff. When she is rounding, she makes sure to acknowledge everyone and address them by name. She genuinely meets people where they are and takes the time to connect with them. Mona promotes a culture of inclusivity and dignity within our hospital. Mona’s commitment to treating everyone with grace and respect sets the tone for our entire organization, inspiring others to follow her lead in providing compassionate care to all and fostering a true sense of belonging. We are honored to nominate Mona Gaw for a DAISY Nurse Leader award because of everything she embodies as a leader.
Mona promotes an environment that provides meaningful recognition for direct care nurses and nurse leaders. Whenever Mona comes back from a conference, she brings a gift to the nursing leaders so they can experience a bit of the city she is visiting. Through Mona’s support, the Shared Governance Advisory Council (composed of direct care nurses) implemented the Out of This World Award, where ancillary departments are recognized for the difference they make to patients and the clinical team. As a strong advocate for patient safety and quality, Mona created the Great Catch Award, where an associate is given a signed baseball in front of their peers to celebrate their significant contribution to patient safety. Through her guidance and mentorship, she empowers associates to excel in their roles and make meaningful contributions to patient outcomes. Mona initiated the first Certified Nurses lunch celebration, in which she recognized all nurses who had taken the initiative to validate their clinical skills and knowledge. She also created the annual Nursing Excellence Awards, where she gives nurse leaders the opportunity to recognize their clinical team, and she takes the time to celebrate the nursing leadership team in front of their direct reports. Mona’s commitment to meaningful recognition is often shown when she reminds leaders to nominate a nurse or a non-clinical staff for a DAISY, BEE, or Excellence in Action. She also sends hand-written notes to the team and takes the time to write holiday greetings to our associates.
Mona is exceptionally compassionate to all she meets. For example, she cared for the dog of a patient who was admitted to the intensive care unit. The patient had no one to care for the dog and needed some extra care. Mona took the dog to a veterinarian so it could be vaccinated and worked with an ICU nurse to groom the dog. Mona’s family took care of the dog for nine days, and upon the patient’s discharge, Mona reunited the dog with his family and provided lots of treats. This is but one example of how Mona extends kindness and serves others.
Mona is committed to the professional development of the nursing leadership team. Mona provides books, short videos, and mindfulness activities that help facilitate leadership growth so the nursing leadership team may become more effective, resilient, and adaptive leaders who are able to pivot with the changing healthcare environment. Mona is committed to setting the leadership team for success by providing a space for guidance and discovering paths for professional growth. On the last Monday of every month, Mona sets aside dedicated time for the growth and development of the nursing leadership team. Past sessions have included an assessment of the strengths of each nurse leader using the Gallup Strengths Finder 2.0 book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, a group reading of Together is Better by Simon Sinek and multiple discussions on how to improve ourselves and our teams. She also worked with the Mission Integration team to facilitate our Enneagram assessment, which allowed us to better understand each other’s communication styles, strengths, and motivations. She motivates the team to give their best and celebrates them while balancing opportunities for coaching and development. Mona’s ability to inspire and motivate nurse leaders has been instrumental in fostering a culture of excellence and teamwork. She mentored each leader to work collaboratively towards shared goals, which has benefited our patients positively. Mona’s uplifting approach brought our team together by creating a purpose-driven team culture.
Mona’s infectious positivity and joy resonate throughout the hospital as she connects with clinical and ancillary staff. When she is rounding, she makes sure to acknowledge everyone and address them by name. She genuinely meets people where they are and takes the time to connect with them. Mona promotes a culture of inclusivity and dignity within our hospital. Mona’s commitment to treating everyone with grace and respect sets the tone for our entire organization, inspiring others to follow her lead in providing compassionate care to all and fostering a true sense of belonging. We are honored to nominate Mona Gaw for a DAISY Nurse Leader award because of everything she embodies as a leader.