Brian Dawe
June 2024
Brian
Dawe
,
MSN, RN
4W 4SE
Endeavor Health Elmhurst Hospital
Elmhurst
,
IL
United States
He assisted in pulling every string possible in order to ensure this patient and her family were able to have an extremely important memory to cherish forever, even if the memory was being created within the walls of a hospital building. Brian was able to take a situation that was causing so much distress, agony, and fear, and turn it into an incredible event full of love, joy, and gratitude.
For the past few weeks, our floor has had a patient nearing the end of her life. Her reason for continuing to fight and resisting transitioning to hospice care was, mainly, to make it to her daughter's wedding on Saturday. Unfortunately, the patient's health status continued to decline, and she is now unable to walk or even safely leave the hospital in order to attend the wedding. With options limited, the family became desperate. The thought of having the wedding in the chapel here at Elmhurst was presented to the hospital staff, and multiple departments were telling the patient's RN that it just was not possible. Feeling defeated and unsure of what to tell the family anymore, the RN contacted our manager Brian Dawe to speak with the family. Brian's perseverance was unlike anything else, and he somehow made it happen! The daughter was able to get her own officiant to come to the hospital, have around 20 guests, and have her mom present to witness her ceremony like the entire family so desperately wanted. Not only did Brian organize the ceremony to be able to take place, but he also assigned a PCT specifically to this room to get the patient bathed and dressed in her gown prior to going down for the ceremony. He also brought up a comfortable chair from 1East draped in a white sheet so that she looked more wedding-ready rather than just a wheelchair.
Brian was a true advocate today for patient care and for his nursing staff. He assisted in pulling every string possible in order to ensure this patient and her family were able to have an extremely important memory to cherish forever, even if the memory was being created within the walls of a hospital building. Brian was able to take a situation that was causing so much distress, agony, and fear, and turn it into an incredible event full of love, joy, and gratitude.
Brian had mentioned wanting to somehow inform marketing about the event, as he recognizes how important something like this is, but he did not want the attention brought onto himself and the rest of the staff. He wanted to keep it about the patient and the once-in-a-lifetime experience she was getting. However, I think Brian truly deserves immense recognition and praise for his efforts to go the extra mile for this patient. Instead of accepting the "no" answers that the nurse was getting from other departments when coordinating this, Brian made sure he did whatever was necessary to make this happen. I know this is something the family will never forget, and it makes me so incredibly proud to work on this unit. I witness acts of kindness so often by staff on this unit, but this particular situation was truly remarkable.
***
Where do I start when it comes to what Brian means to our floor and to me personally? One of the reasons I fell in love with this hospital is because of the culture, the “Elmhurst way,” a combination of our planetree values and the respect and kindness we all share with one another as members of the healthcare team. Brian embodies these values, especially as he rose through the ranks from PCT to RN to director. His understanding of each team members' values and concerns make him acutely aware of how to support us as a team. He does this on a personal level with each and every one of us. He takes time to know us beyond our positions as his employees, making the effort and time to care about us as individuals. He visited me before my spine surgery that I had here. He called to check up on me when I had another medical scare involving an oncology appointment. He did not have to do this as my director, but he did have an inherent need to do it as the passionate and caring individual that he is. Many others echo this sentiment, but for brevities sake, I will leave it at that. He empowers us to treat our patients in a similar manner, as the story that he is being recognized for clearly demonstrates. This is not just a one-off occurrence either, it is simply the one that was shared this time.
He exudes passion and care in all things he does, but he is also hilarious. It is often stressful trying to make room for incoming surgical patients each day. Brian always finds the right time or circumstance to interject levity into these situations.
The first time Brian recognized me, he wrote that I looked like a big old scary Viking of a man, but when I opened my mouth, that facade fell away, and the true softy that I am became apparent. He literally wrote that in his official write up and had everyone at the breakfast laughing out loud. His wit and boyish charm come through in every encounter, and it helps break the ice between his role as a member of the management team and the rest of us as “floor staff.”
This brings me to the attribute that I feel embodies his approach to leadership the most, which is his willingness to advocate and go to bat for us in every way he can. Everyone who knows me knows that I am quite outspoken (to a fault at times). At first, my outspoken nature may not have come across that well, but as he got to know me, he realized I was always speaking with my patients' and my teammate’s best interest in mind. He does this for all of us and the patients in our care. He actively seeks out feedback from us both in ways that he can change as our leader and in terms of process improvement. In talking with a few of my teammates this attribute was universally mentioned. He took our unit from having about 15-20 surgeries a week, to being able to accommodate that in one day, all while thinking of us during the transition.
Brian is not just the best “manager” I have ever had (and I have been around the block in my lifetime), but he has become a man that I look up to in terms of my own personal growth as a husband and a father. You’re a confidante and a friend. You are like family to me, and I don’t think I am the only one that feels this way. You’re one of the “good ones” on this Earth, and we, as your staff and Elmhurst Hospital in general, are lucky to have you here. You are sincerely the biggest reason I struggle with leaving this place to practice as a psychiatric NP, I am not sure anyone can ever fill your shoes, or the imprint that you’ve left on my heart.
***
I have had the great pleasure of knowing Brian for almost 12 years. When I first started to work at Elmhurst, Brian was a night nurse, often times our Team Leader. He always had a kind, calm presence about him. As a new nurse who was learning, I always felt I could look to him as a resource – how to navigate through a difficult situation with a family that was struggling and how to even insert an IV with the correct technique. Many of my first experiences of these things as a nurse were with Brian at my side to aid. He has a warm open demeanor that makes you feel that you can easily approach him for help. In addition, this nature also would always put our patients and their families at ease.
Fast forward several years – Brian then became a nurse and Team Leader on day shift. Before I knew it, the opportunity presented itself, and Brain was now our Assistant Manager. And now of course, our Director of Nursing for Inpatient Surgery & Oncology. It has been a true honor to witness this growth. In my opinion, this could not be awarded to someone more deserving.
It is the person that Brian is that has made his influence on our unit so profound. Simply put, the main outstanding quality that makes him such an admirable leader is the way that he CARES about his team and our patients! This quality has never wavered. When he comes out to round for the day on our floor, he is always present, wholeheartedly wanting to know how the day is going, the good and the bad. If I reach out to him when he is not here, he always promptly responds. If there is an issue, it means something to him – He makes it a priority to look for a solution and find a way around it. If he sees a team member struggling, he will have you sit down with them right then and there and talk about things and find a way through.
I cannot tell you how many times he has expressed to us, “My door is always open. If you have a concern or thought, just come talk to me about it!” He has always operated this way. He also cares to know about you as a person – every single team member – what your likes and hobbies are, what you might be doing for fun this weekend (and not just to ask if you can come in extra!). Brian genuinely wants to help his team in whatever way that he can. Not long ago, the floor was exceptionally busy. A patient came up from PACU after a long surgery, and the only people present in the pod were Brian and me. Without hesitation, he donned a pair of gloves and jumped in to help me guide the patient over and get them settled in their bed so he was not waiting. This small action was exactly what was needed at the time, and made all the difference.
I could go on for an hour about specific occurrences that have stood out to me that demonstrate his compassion and care. I truly feel that his foundation as a bedside nurse has greatly shaped his effectiveness as the leader of our floor. We feel supported and that we matter. I know that I am proudly the nurse that I am today in part because of his influence. All I can say Brian is simply, THANK YOU for all that you do!
***
I wanted to express compliments to the Elmhurst staff through a verbal conversation prior to
leaving Elmhurst. I called Brian Dawe, the Director of Patient Care, who took time out of his morning schedule to
visit with me. Through my conversation with Brian, I can ascertain that Brian Dawe maintains and represents a
medical staff that is “Healthy Driven” by the consistently of excellence of patient care.
I will be forever grateful to every individual of the Elmhurst Hospital staff that I encountered during my
hospital/surgical stay and will remember this medical experience for the rest of my life.
***
I have felt fortunate to have been on staff at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital since 1992. I have always had high regard for the staff here and have consistently brought extended family here from the far reaches of the Chicago suburbs for their care because I’ve known the quality of the care they receive here whereas I cannot be as sure of the hospitals closer to them.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, I developed an infection that required 2 ED visits and a 2 night stay at Elmhurst Hospital. My experience as a patient has reinforced everything positive I’ve known about this place: the culture and attitude, the patient-centered care, the expertise, and the human touch. From the ED staff to the 4West nurses, the wonderful techs, the transportation staff, and the janitorial staff, everyone was professional, kind, knowledgeable, and concerned for my well-being. This is truly a place of healing. I am proud to work with these people.
Brian was a true advocate today for patient care and for his nursing staff. He assisted in pulling every string possible in order to ensure this patient and her family were able to have an extremely important memory to cherish forever, even if the memory was being created within the walls of a hospital building. Brian was able to take a situation that was causing so much distress, agony, and fear, and turn it into an incredible event full of love, joy, and gratitude.
Brian had mentioned wanting to somehow inform marketing about the event, as he recognizes how important something like this is, but he did not want the attention brought onto himself and the rest of the staff. He wanted to keep it about the patient and the once-in-a-lifetime experience she was getting. However, I think Brian truly deserves immense recognition and praise for his efforts to go the extra mile for this patient. Instead of accepting the "no" answers that the nurse was getting from other departments when coordinating this, Brian made sure he did whatever was necessary to make this happen. I know this is something the family will never forget, and it makes me so incredibly proud to work on this unit. I witness acts of kindness so often by staff on this unit, but this particular situation was truly remarkable.
***
Where do I start when it comes to what Brian means to our floor and to me personally? One of the reasons I fell in love with this hospital is because of the culture, the “Elmhurst way,” a combination of our planetree values and the respect and kindness we all share with one another as members of the healthcare team. Brian embodies these values, especially as he rose through the ranks from PCT to RN to director. His understanding of each team members' values and concerns make him acutely aware of how to support us as a team. He does this on a personal level with each and every one of us. He takes time to know us beyond our positions as his employees, making the effort and time to care about us as individuals. He visited me before my spine surgery that I had here. He called to check up on me when I had another medical scare involving an oncology appointment. He did not have to do this as my director, but he did have an inherent need to do it as the passionate and caring individual that he is. Many others echo this sentiment, but for brevities sake, I will leave it at that. He empowers us to treat our patients in a similar manner, as the story that he is being recognized for clearly demonstrates. This is not just a one-off occurrence either, it is simply the one that was shared this time.
He exudes passion and care in all things he does, but he is also hilarious. It is often stressful trying to make room for incoming surgical patients each day. Brian always finds the right time or circumstance to interject levity into these situations.
The first time Brian recognized me, he wrote that I looked like a big old scary Viking of a man, but when I opened my mouth, that facade fell away, and the true softy that I am became apparent. He literally wrote that in his official write up and had everyone at the breakfast laughing out loud. His wit and boyish charm come through in every encounter, and it helps break the ice between his role as a member of the management team and the rest of us as “floor staff.”
This brings me to the attribute that I feel embodies his approach to leadership the most, which is his willingness to advocate and go to bat for us in every way he can. Everyone who knows me knows that I am quite outspoken (to a fault at times). At first, my outspoken nature may not have come across that well, but as he got to know me, he realized I was always speaking with my patients' and my teammate’s best interest in mind. He does this for all of us and the patients in our care. He actively seeks out feedback from us both in ways that he can change as our leader and in terms of process improvement. In talking with a few of my teammates this attribute was universally mentioned. He took our unit from having about 15-20 surgeries a week, to being able to accommodate that in one day, all while thinking of us during the transition.
Brian is not just the best “manager” I have ever had (and I have been around the block in my lifetime), but he has become a man that I look up to in terms of my own personal growth as a husband and a father. You’re a confidante and a friend. You are like family to me, and I don’t think I am the only one that feels this way. You’re one of the “good ones” on this Earth, and we, as your staff and Elmhurst Hospital in general, are lucky to have you here. You are sincerely the biggest reason I struggle with leaving this place to practice as a psychiatric NP, I am not sure anyone can ever fill your shoes, or the imprint that you’ve left on my heart.
***
I have had the great pleasure of knowing Brian for almost 12 years. When I first started to work at Elmhurst, Brian was a night nurse, often times our Team Leader. He always had a kind, calm presence about him. As a new nurse who was learning, I always felt I could look to him as a resource – how to navigate through a difficult situation with a family that was struggling and how to even insert an IV with the correct technique. Many of my first experiences of these things as a nurse were with Brian at my side to aid. He has a warm open demeanor that makes you feel that you can easily approach him for help. In addition, this nature also would always put our patients and their families at ease.
Fast forward several years – Brian then became a nurse and Team Leader on day shift. Before I knew it, the opportunity presented itself, and Brain was now our Assistant Manager. And now of course, our Director of Nursing for Inpatient Surgery & Oncology. It has been a true honor to witness this growth. In my opinion, this could not be awarded to someone more deserving.
It is the person that Brian is that has made his influence on our unit so profound. Simply put, the main outstanding quality that makes him such an admirable leader is the way that he CARES about his team and our patients! This quality has never wavered. When he comes out to round for the day on our floor, he is always present, wholeheartedly wanting to know how the day is going, the good and the bad. If I reach out to him when he is not here, he always promptly responds. If there is an issue, it means something to him – He makes it a priority to look for a solution and find a way around it. If he sees a team member struggling, he will have you sit down with them right then and there and talk about things and find a way through.
I cannot tell you how many times he has expressed to us, “My door is always open. If you have a concern or thought, just come talk to me about it!” He has always operated this way. He also cares to know about you as a person – every single team member – what your likes and hobbies are, what you might be doing for fun this weekend (and not just to ask if you can come in extra!). Brian genuinely wants to help his team in whatever way that he can. Not long ago, the floor was exceptionally busy. A patient came up from PACU after a long surgery, and the only people present in the pod were Brian and me. Without hesitation, he donned a pair of gloves and jumped in to help me guide the patient over and get them settled in their bed so he was not waiting. This small action was exactly what was needed at the time, and made all the difference.
I could go on for an hour about specific occurrences that have stood out to me that demonstrate his compassion and care. I truly feel that his foundation as a bedside nurse has greatly shaped his effectiveness as the leader of our floor. We feel supported and that we matter. I know that I am proudly the nurse that I am today in part because of his influence. All I can say Brian is simply, THANK YOU for all that you do!
***
I wanted to express compliments to the Elmhurst staff through a verbal conversation prior to
leaving Elmhurst. I called Brian Dawe, the Director of Patient Care, who took time out of his morning schedule to
visit with me. Through my conversation with Brian, I can ascertain that Brian Dawe maintains and represents a
medical staff that is “Healthy Driven” by the consistently of excellence of patient care.
I will be forever grateful to every individual of the Elmhurst Hospital staff that I encountered during my
hospital/surgical stay and will remember this medical experience for the rest of my life.
***
I have felt fortunate to have been on staff at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital since 1992. I have always had high regard for the staff here and have consistently brought extended family here from the far reaches of the Chicago suburbs for their care because I’ve known the quality of the care they receive here whereas I cannot be as sure of the hospitals closer to them.
Over the Memorial Day weekend, I developed an infection that required 2 ED visits and a 2 night stay at Elmhurst Hospital. My experience as a patient has reinforced everything positive I’ve known about this place: the culture and attitude, the patient-centered care, the expertise, and the human touch. From the ED staff to the 4West nurses, the wonderful techs, the transportation staff, and the janitorial staff, everyone was professional, kind, knowledgeable, and concerned for my well-being. This is truly a place of healing. I am proud to work with these people.