June 2024
Kathy
Smith
,
RN
ER
Wellstar Douglas Hospital
Douglasville
,
GA
United States
Kathy exhibits an immense capacity for caring in her treatment of people, whether patients, visitors, or peers.
This RN exemplifies the kind of nurse patients and families, as well as nurses, physicians, and other members of the health care team, recognize as an outstanding role model.
Kathy is one of our more experienced nurses in the emergency department. She exhibits an immense capacity for caring in her treatment of people, whether patients, visitors, or peers. She recently returned to full-time status with us and has been a tremendous partner in supporting new graduate nurses. Two of our new hires benefited from her experience and willingness to share care this week. She was observed and another nurse sent this report of her actions:
“I was texted this morning by Kathy asking for contact numbers for new hire “A” and new hire “B. She explained that they had both had rough assignments the past two nights and that she wanted to contact them to send them some encouragement. She wanted to share that both new hires are great nurses and are important to our ED team. She added, “I don’t want to lose them, and I vividly remember those rough nights. My preceptors and charge nurses always called me to encourage me to keep going.”
Following up on the evening’s events, the staff reported that this RN stepped in and mentored the new hires throughout the shift, collaborating with them to provide care for several high-acuity patients. She also, at one point, assumed total care of a challenging patient who required one-to-one observation and interventions. The sitter in the room reported that “she was amazing, and she stayed with him. I could feel her compassion for his situation. He knew she was there for him.”
Throughout the shift she continued to mentor the two newer nurses and made a difference in their shift. She never seeks recognition for the things that she does for others, she does them selflessly and sincerely. Her dedication to the care of the staff is appreciated. Even more so, this dedication contributes to the best patient outcomes due to her awareness of the unit situation, the needs of the staff, and, more importantly, the needs of our patients here at Douglas ED.
Kathy is one of our more experienced nurses in the emergency department. She exhibits an immense capacity for caring in her treatment of people, whether patients, visitors, or peers. She recently returned to full-time status with us and has been a tremendous partner in supporting new graduate nurses. Two of our new hires benefited from her experience and willingness to share care this week. She was observed and another nurse sent this report of her actions:
“I was texted this morning by Kathy asking for contact numbers for new hire “A” and new hire “B. She explained that they had both had rough assignments the past two nights and that she wanted to contact them to send them some encouragement. She wanted to share that both new hires are great nurses and are important to our ED team. She added, “I don’t want to lose them, and I vividly remember those rough nights. My preceptors and charge nurses always called me to encourage me to keep going.”
Following up on the evening’s events, the staff reported that this RN stepped in and mentored the new hires throughout the shift, collaborating with them to provide care for several high-acuity patients. She also, at one point, assumed total care of a challenging patient who required one-to-one observation and interventions. The sitter in the room reported that “she was amazing, and she stayed with him. I could feel her compassion for his situation. He knew she was there for him.”
Throughout the shift she continued to mentor the two newer nurses and made a difference in their shift. She never seeks recognition for the things that she does for others, she does them selflessly and sincerely. Her dedication to the care of the staff is appreciated. Even more so, this dedication contributes to the best patient outcomes due to her awareness of the unit situation, the needs of the staff, and, more importantly, the needs of our patients here at Douglas ED.