Jensen is a seasoned night nurse on the Cancer Transplant Unit. She is the example of a nurse who comes to work, provides incredible patient care to some of the sickest, most fragile, or emotionally challenging patients and families. She orients and is an extremely valuable member of our team. Jensen has been involved in multiple decompensating patient experiences, PICU transfers, and end-of-life patients. This is hard work, and she shows up because she believes in the care she gives, the patients we serve, and provides exemplary care every shift because it is the right thing to do.

In a recent code blue, Jensen spoke up after the fact to emphasize areas in the event that could have been better. She took time to reflect and professionally submit safety nets illustrating the lack of support from the medical team, the lack of staffing resources, and the lack of Code team debriefing. These are sensitive subjects to report, but through her own accountability and what she felt contributed, she spoke up for the future of nurses and led with great courage so that others following her would not have the same experiences after a traumatic situation.

Through speaking up with safety nets on how she felt unheard and confused about the prioritization of care, Jensen was not given supportive replies. They were not connecting her vision of teamwork to what happened, and not what she hoped. Through her second event about staffing insecurities, she was told, as a business model, those concerns need to be known, but her desire was an unlikely reality. Jensen had amazing perseverance through this because, as a leader (not a charge nurse, just a nurse with amazing leadership) and a core nurse, she continued to ask clarifying questions and advocate for understanding. It takes immense leadership from a nurse to speak up after speaking up, and Jensen was professional, kind, curious, and wanted to make patient care better, not because she has the responsibility to, but it is her mission.

She does the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Most people would have given up, and she has forged ahead to create awareness about experiences (and event follow-up) that do not model what we are told they do! Recognizing, responding, and advocating are pillars of an amazing nurse. Ultimately we don't know the changes from her advocacy, but we are coached to speak up, to be safe and I fully believe that since Jensen took the time to reflect on her traumatic event, report not only what she could have done differently, but what everyone could have done that others will find courage to do the right thing in the future- even if it's hard, even if its met with resistance- she modeled to keep going because it's the right thing to do. We are so thankful for the difference and exemplary care this night nurse gives and would be lost without her.