Rachel Whittaker
January 2016
Rachel
Whittaker
,
BSN, RN, CPN
9th Floor Medical Unit
Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora
,
CO
United States
Rachel continues to amaze me with her ability to prioritize patient safety and high-quality care.
It is my honor to support Rachel Whittaker as a nominee for the National Patient Safety Foundation DAISY Award. Rachel has demonstrated her clinical expertise as a Clinical Nurse IV on the 9th Floor Pulmonary Unit at Children's Hospital Colorado. Rachel has the additional role of Ethics Liaison Nurse for this very busy pediatric specialty unit. Her 2014 performance evaluation describes Rachel's expansive work to support the nursing staff in care related to incorporating ethical nursing care.
Throughout the year, Rachel offered her support and expertise with regard to ethics - she provided debriefing sessions for difficult/end-of-life cases, spoke at the Education Day, revamped the End of Life Manual, and worked on all policies that related to her work as the Ethics Liaison. Her expertise makes her a crucial resource to other nurses. She cares deeply and yet is able to maintain professional boundaries.
Rachel's nomination letter speaks of nursing care as an advocate for patients and families during both good times and bad. As a pediatric nurse, helping parents through end-of-life decisions is perhaps the most challenging and emotional experience of their career. Rachel was able to be the patient advocate during discussions on DNAR status and the compassionate nurse this family needed when the time came to disconnect the child from the ventilator. Rachel's ethical practice did not end there; she also served as the nursing leader for her team, enabling them to experience a debriefing event to support them through their secondary caregiver experience. Rachel has shown her team that ethical practice touches the entire team. Thank you for the opportunity to recognize Rachel Whittaker.
***
It is my pleasure to recommend Rachel Whittaker for the NPSF DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Rachel continues to amaze me with her ability to prioritize patient safety and high-quality care. Rachel has an extraordinary gift of understanding and meeting patients' and families' needs. She is the nurse clinical lead to our medically fragile patients and does not shy away from difficult medical conditions or uncertain social situations. If Rachel is on the unit, you can bet she has at least one complex patient. She meets patients' medical needs but also takes the time to connect with each patient and family so she can understand their educational and emotional needs. She goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure her patients receive holistic care.
Patients and families request to have Rachel as their primary nurse and give praise for her care and teaching. Rachel sets high standards for safety in the pulmonary unit. When she notices safety concerns, she escalates the concerns and offers solutions. She has been instrumental in improving the process of the "Do not attempt resuscitation order" process in the hospital. She audits this process and works directly with health care providers so orders are clear and concrete to the medical team.
Furthermore, she is a safety coach to her peers and provides daily guidance on speaking up for patient safety. Rachel is a safety coach, which is a bedside nurse who has advanced training in coaching and quality improvement. Rachel exemplifies nursing by being an exceptional mentor. She is an outstanding resource to all her peers and is recognized often for her willingness to help. She frequently works with students and is consistently orienting a new graduate nurse. Those who have worked with her as a new graduate are well prepared to step out on their own, thanks to Rachel's dedication to their learning and skill development.
What has impressed me most about Rachel over the years is her work in and around ethics. She is a critical member of the house wide ethics committee and teaches ethics to not only our staff but interdisciplinary students entering the medical profession. Rachel is a natural instructor, and her passion for the ethical care of patients and families is just one of the reasons she thrives in this role. She is especially gifted at supporting our staff as they navigate the complex issues they face caring for our patients and families. She arranges regular debriefings with our interdisciplinary teams to help every provider cope with and manage these difficult cases. She also supports and mentors staff in ethical matters they encounter. Rachel has empowered her peers to gain knowledge around ethical decision-making. She has also participated as a guest faculty member in the interdisciplinary ethics course offered at the state university. Rachel's passion and dedication to her families, peers, and profession exemplify why she is a strong candidate for the NPSF DAISY Award.
Throughout the year, Rachel offered her support and expertise with regard to ethics - she provided debriefing sessions for difficult/end-of-life cases, spoke at the Education Day, revamped the End of Life Manual, and worked on all policies that related to her work as the Ethics Liaison. Her expertise makes her a crucial resource to other nurses. She cares deeply and yet is able to maintain professional boundaries.
Rachel's nomination letter speaks of nursing care as an advocate for patients and families during both good times and bad. As a pediatric nurse, helping parents through end-of-life decisions is perhaps the most challenging and emotional experience of their career. Rachel was able to be the patient advocate during discussions on DNAR status and the compassionate nurse this family needed when the time came to disconnect the child from the ventilator. Rachel's ethical practice did not end there; she also served as the nursing leader for her team, enabling them to experience a debriefing event to support them through their secondary caregiver experience. Rachel has shown her team that ethical practice touches the entire team. Thank you for the opportunity to recognize Rachel Whittaker.
***
It is my pleasure to recommend Rachel Whittaker for the NPSF DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Rachel continues to amaze me with her ability to prioritize patient safety and high-quality care. Rachel has an extraordinary gift of understanding and meeting patients' and families' needs. She is the nurse clinical lead to our medically fragile patients and does not shy away from difficult medical conditions or uncertain social situations. If Rachel is on the unit, you can bet she has at least one complex patient. She meets patients' medical needs but also takes the time to connect with each patient and family so she can understand their educational and emotional needs. She goes above and beyond the call of duty to make sure her patients receive holistic care.
Patients and families request to have Rachel as their primary nurse and give praise for her care and teaching. Rachel sets high standards for safety in the pulmonary unit. When she notices safety concerns, she escalates the concerns and offers solutions. She has been instrumental in improving the process of the "Do not attempt resuscitation order" process in the hospital. She audits this process and works directly with health care providers so orders are clear and concrete to the medical team.
Furthermore, she is a safety coach to her peers and provides daily guidance on speaking up for patient safety. Rachel is a safety coach, which is a bedside nurse who has advanced training in coaching and quality improvement. Rachel exemplifies nursing by being an exceptional mentor. She is an outstanding resource to all her peers and is recognized often for her willingness to help. She frequently works with students and is consistently orienting a new graduate nurse. Those who have worked with her as a new graduate are well prepared to step out on their own, thanks to Rachel's dedication to their learning and skill development.
What has impressed me most about Rachel over the years is her work in and around ethics. She is a critical member of the house wide ethics committee and teaches ethics to not only our staff but interdisciplinary students entering the medical profession. Rachel is a natural instructor, and her passion for the ethical care of patients and families is just one of the reasons she thrives in this role. She is especially gifted at supporting our staff as they navigate the complex issues they face caring for our patients and families. She arranges regular debriefings with our interdisciplinary teams to help every provider cope with and manage these difficult cases. She also supports and mentors staff in ethical matters they encounter. Rachel has empowered her peers to gain knowledge around ethical decision-making. She has also participated as a guest faculty member in the interdisciplinary ethics course offered at the state university. Rachel's passion and dedication to her families, peers, and profession exemplify why she is a strong candidate for the NPSF DAISY Award.