Donna's forty years of service to bedside nursing care, most of which have been at Rex Hospital, are a testament to her dedication. She has not only served as a preceptor to countless nurses, but also led them to thrive under the foundations and mentorship she provided. Many of these nurses have advanced to become nurse managers and leaders within our organization, a true reflection of Donna's leadership. She has helped steer her team through executive and organizational changes, supported and served through COVID-19, and continues building the next generation of nurses in her daily work. Her leadership extends beyond her team, as she has been a leader in the Unit Action Council and served in a variety of committees over her years of tenure at Rex. Her countless patient recognitions and DAISY Award nominations are a testament to her profound impact on patient care and the nursing community. She is an effective and trusted charge nurse with critical thinking skills that are as strong as her physical skillset. In addition, she has a humble, heart of gold for her teammates, patients, and their families. There is no one moment or story to describe, as she strives to make every patient feel cared for, protected, and important. She personifies what a DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award should be.

Donna is affectionately known as the 'Wealth of Knowledge' for 7HV.  If anyone has a question about policy, safe practice, medication, procedures, or any other aspect, Donna is our trusted 'go-to' person. She ensures to stay updated with practice changes and policy revisions, and she is not hesitant to raise safety concerns or suggest areas for quality improvement. She maintains open communication with providers and other nurses to safeguard and advocate for the nursing scope of practice. Her colleagues hold her in high regard for her commitment to quality care. She is revered for the training and knowledge she imparts to our new nurses and students.

Donna embodies the four pillars of One Great Team, Leading the Way, It Starts with Me, and Carolina Care. She is an active teammate who is rarely seen not engaged in some form of patient care, whether at the bedside or 'behind the scenes.' She is a resource for her teammates and is always the first to step in to assist when needed, making her proactive and reactive! She also willingly aids our NA staff when they are busy by changing linens or checking blood sugars and vitals, so patients receive timely care. Donna is a master of Carolina Care. She is kind, compassionate, and protective of her patients and their families. Donna is a strong and skillful advocate for their needs and will overcome every barrier and obstacle to serve their best interest. However, she is fearless in pushing patients out of their comfort zones to aid in their recoveries. For instance, we care for congestive heart failure patients who often desire to drink water beyond their allowances. Instead of arguing with a patient or giving them water to appease them, she takes the time to educate them and explain our reasons for their safety. She possesses high emotional intelligence and can often comfort patients by recognizing their psychological, social, and emotional needs. By treating the 'whole' person, she provides an exemplary patient experience.

Donna's service extends beyond the walls of Rex. She also dedicates her time to her church and its community outreach programs. She also takes care of an elderly parent and is actively involved in her children's lives. Her participation in volunteer opportunities, such as our 7HV holiday toy drive through the Salvation Army, is a testament to her selflessness. Her work may often be humble and quiet, but it has made a tremendous impact on the nurses she trains, the leaders she has helped create, and the family and community she serves.

***

I started my 13-year nursing career with Donna as my preceptor on 3 East, caring for elderly and cardiac patients. One day, she caught me off guard by saying, "There are things worse than death." However, I soon came to understand that wisdom. I have now been a Palliative Care NP here at Rex for six years, and recently started our new outpatient palliative care clinic in the cancer center. The seed of my journey was planted when I met Donna. I can confidently say I would not be the nurse, or person, I am today without her.

Donna has trained hundreds of Rex nurses, many of whom have advanced into leadership positions. While she could have "climbed the ladder" into management she instead chose to stay at the bedside and at Rex. She comes early and stays late.  She is a reliably calm force in any storm. We all feel safer when she is on the floor, as evidenced by the frequent calls of "Donna!" or "Donnnnaaaaa". She is infinitely patient. She is a champion of the profession through role modeling, using her actions more so than words.

As an NP, whenever she cared for my patients, I had peace and reassurance knowing they were receiving excellent care and communication. When she says something is wrong, we all know to believe her. She has exemplary clinical judgement and communication skills. She does not impart judgement on any patient for their decision-making or circumstances. She treats each patient as important. She listens and responds to every family member. She advocates and also sets healthy boundaries. She works together with the care team and demonstrates respectful relationships with all team members. Donna keeps us grounded in the "old school" nursing logic while also challenging fellow nurses to think critically about every intervention.

What can't they learn from her? I am not exaggerating. She is welcoming to families and embodies the "Rex Way" as it truly used to be. She keeps us grounded in the spirit that earned Rex its good reputation.  She has worked the floor the entirety of her career - a tremendous feat that few nurses will ever be able to claim. She seeks no accolades, just faithfully serves her community from the bedside. There are likely many deserving people in our Rex community, but Donna Herrin should most certainly be on the top of that list of "lifetime achievers."

***

Donna is the kind of nurse I can only hope to be one day. I often joke that Donna has been a nurse at the bedside longer than I have been alive, but her years of service are just part of who she is. I had the privilege of working with Donna on 7HV for almost 5 years and even though I wasn’t a new nurse, Donna taught me something new every day. She was patient and thorough. She never got flustered or anxious. She knew everything about her patients in order to take the best care of them, and she was a constant advocate for them. She talked with her patients, hugged and cried with them, and cared for them. She also did that for her coworkers too. Donna was always more than willing to help me critically think about a situation, to help me with a patient even when she was swamped with her own assignment, or just be a listening ear. I call her “Momma Donna” because that’s what she was for all of us on 7HV. She cared for us, always the first to give us a hug after a hard day or tell us how great we had done after completing a new skill for the first time. She was never too busy for her patients or her coworkers. I always LOVED when Donna was the charge nurse because I knew there was nothing our floor couldn’t handle if she was there.  She’s seen tons of changes throughout her career, worked during a pandemic, and has had her own family’s health issues, and she’s never been anything but loving, kind, and patient. Rex is a better place because of Donna and there are so many of us who have been touched by her nursing.

Donna would call herself an old school nurse, but I would call her a role model. Donna believes in the strength of great nursing and works every day to help encourage and teach other nurses. She is never impatient or too busy to help. She leads by example in advocating for her patients to doctors and APPs and encourages us all to do the same.

If I were a patient, I would want Donna as my nurse. Donna spends more time in her patients’ rooms than any other nurse I’ve ever known. Charting and getting out on time aren’t her priorities and never will be. Knowing her patients, caring for them, doing for them, and advocating for them are what’s important to her. Donna puts her patients above all else, and that is the care we all would want to have. 

Donna has been a leader on 7HV for many decades. The biggest thing I am reminded of when working with Donna is that nursing is a calling for her, not just a job. It is who she is at her core, and she brings that value to work every day. She doesn’t come to work to get it over with. She comes because she loves what she does. She inspires me to remember on the hard days why I got into nursing and the effect that a great nurse can have.