When I think about Linda and the service she provides, it is not just one thing that stands out as significant. It is the day-to-day integrity and service that she brings to our department to provide our community with the best service to ALL Cass Health patients. I have the pleasure of supervising Linda and interacting with her daily. She comes to work ready to provide the most genuine care possible for each patient every day. My nomination is based specifically on the care she provides to our Pacific Island community members.

Linda has taken the time to learn about their culture and wants to deeply understand the issues that this community faces each day. She meets them where they are and understands the deep and complex layers of working with an entire community whose culture and approach to healthcare is quite different than what an American nurse is trained for. She is courteous and delivers individualized care with clarity and genuine concern for everyone, all while respecting their cultural differences and boundaries.
Linda adjusts her work hours to accommodate their long and varying shift work, going above and beyond to meet their needs. It is not uncommon for Linda to work an evening, weekend, or on her day off- if that is when the patient has time to meet with her. She can be found driving all over Atlantic, house-to-house, to deliver the best possible care, as she has learned that affording transportation is a huge barrier for many individuals within this community. If she does not drive to them, she knows that they will otherwise go without care.

This community trusts Linda deeply with their healthcare needs. She is known as a resource for the entire community, helping with many things beyond her original intentions of connecting with these individuals. It’s not uncommon to see them greet her in the grocery store or for children to run up and give her a hug when they recognize her on the street. Linda listens attentively to each concern she is presented with and seamlessly connects each individual and family to the care and services they need to have a better life and experience in Atlantic. She is able to impressively navigate challenging situations and learn what motivates others to succeed.

Many do not understand the level of coordinating and connecting everyone’s care takes, as it all goes on behind the scenes, seemingly effortlessly, thanks to Linda. She is extremely detailed and always working to make sure the processes and policies we have in place are best practice and most efficient to provide excellent service to the individuals she works with. On the occasion that Linda does take a few days off, anyone in our building can walk into her office and have exactly what is needed to be successful in covering her work.

Linda’s kindness, compassion, and desire to help this entire community live a long, healthy, and successful life are apparent in her daily work. As you can see, this Extraordinary Nurse is incredibly deserving of the DAISY Award.