We believe our Nurse Manager, Linda Schaeffer, should be nominated for the DAISY Award.  Her dedication to the veterans is reflected in all aspects of the leadership she provides. Her advocacy may begin with the veterans and their families but extends well beyond to the nurses, support staff, and other treatment team members. She treats all who enter, as well as work at the clinic, fairly, honestly, and with respect. She proactively addresses each rule and protocol, anticipates and encourages feedback, and ultimately rallies support for maintaining integrity for the VA. Her active engagement with those around her inspires others to continue to reach beyond the goals we set for ourselves.

Integrity: Linda’s advocacy is always centered in working from the core guidelines and regulations for the VA. She openly demonstrates her knowledge of these parameters frequently, whether it is a during a safety huddle, staff meeting, or activity. We, as staff, are encouraged to offer feedback about our concerns regarding the application of the ever-changing guidelines; she still makes it clear that we are bound to those parameters.

Commitment: Linda actively demonstrates her commitment to the veterans, our clinics, as well as the staff in many ways. She works with us, side-by-side, whenever additional help is needed. She will assist with appointments, help collect lab work and step in, when needed, to help a struggling, frustrated vet find a resolution regarding their concerns.

Advocacy:  Linda’s advocacy extends beyond the daily care provided in our clinic.  She has an ‘open door policy’ that extends to all within her clinic. We can approach her with our workplace concerns, questions, and issues. She is also approachable about helping us address our own personal issues when it comes to balancing staffing at the clinic with familial crises at home. Her advocacy is also clearly present when she shares clinic, as well as individual achievements with the clinic staff. We share our victories, as well as our challenges as a clinic. When debriefing events, Linda presents them as “teaching moments.” This encourages growth rather than masking flaws without addressing them.

Respect: Linda demonstrates her respect through all of the above-mentioned themes. She actively helps when it is needed, anywhere within the clinic. She will line up any resources our clinic may need to support the clinic staff. She helps us become better versions of ourselves while identifying and reminding us of our achievements, especially when we are preparing for our individual evaluations. In addition to all the aspects of leadership within the clinic, she also leads a wide range of activities that support and promote teamwork. We have done several teambuilding exercises that allow us to know a little more about those we work with at the clinic. We are encouraged to share ourselves, speak up for ourselves, and grow within the VA community. She also leads a Sunshine Committee that focuses on morale building within the clinic. We are encouraged to participate but are not obligated to join in a variety of monthly events at our clinic.

Excellence: This last trait of Linda’s leadership at the Berks Clinic is a combination of her demonstration and commitment to the VA and those within the clinic. The encouragement and support become synergistic. We, as clinic employees, are empowered to become better than we were; that empowerment allows us to fuel an environment that helps us strive for excellence.