Tammy Jones
September 2025
Tammy
Jones
,
RN
Perinatal Mental Health Unit
Woman's Hospital
Baton Rouge
,
LA
United States
The work that we do on the PMHU truly does take a special person, whose heart is 100% for the specialized population that we serve. It is a calling.
Whenever I think of what an outstanding nurse would look like, I think of Tammy Jones every time. She is a nurse who is caring, compassionate, gentle, patient, detail-oriented, trustworthy, ethical, kind, respectful, professional, and an excellent communicator. She always goes above and beyond.
Tammy has a calming voice and presence that has been the reason patients felt heard, seen, and understood. She has also de-escalated many irate patients who struggle with chronic psychotic disorders, as well.
No matter what day it is or what the shift may bring, I know that Nurse Tammy will show up and present with all of the characteristics I mentioned previously. She is steady, consistent, and reliable. The patients need that, but let's be honest, the staff needs that, too. She brings light wherever she goes, with an uplifting attitude. It impacts the morale of the unit in such a positive way.
I could go on and on about Tammy Jones, and I know for a fact that others would say the same. In fact, I have heard my coworkers say, "Tammy, why can't you be my nurse?" Because Tammy is THAT nurse, the one you want to have when you land in the hospital.
But I have a particular story recently that touched my heart so much that it compelled me to recommend her for the DAISY award.
We had a young, pregnant teenage patient who was prepping for discharge. As one of her providers on the unit, my job was to review future appointments after discharge with her and process the progress that she had made while she was in the hospital. She stated she was so glad for the treatment she received on the PMHU and was proud of the progress she had made during her visit.
As we were coming to a close with the conversation, the patient said, "You know what? Tammy saved my life. She saw me in the Assessment Center and made me feel comfortable enough to tell her the truth...I did not want to be alive anymore. I really don't know if I'd still be here if it were not for Nurse Tammy. I need to tell her that before I leave here."
The patient said that it was because of Tammy showing true care and genuine concern that prompted and encouraged her to open up about her suicidal ideation. The patient then stated that she has hope again and hope for the future.
Hearing this from the patient gave me chills. It was such a powerful reminder to me of how meaningful our work is, but also the importance of how our words and approaches can impact our patients and their treatment outcomes.
I firmly believe that Tammy's caring and compassionate presence changed the trajectory of this patient's life and that of her baby girl. I often receive positive compliments about Nurse Tammy from nearly every single patient that we have on the unit, but these particular statements from the patient were noteworthy.
Tammy Jones deserves to be recognized, and the Women's Hospital is fortunate to have someone like her serving our patients. I consider myself blessed to work with someone like Nurse Tammy Jones. Thank you.
Whenever I think of what an outstanding nurse would look like, I think of Tammy Jones every time. She is a nurse who is caring, compassionate, gentle, patient, detail-oriented, trustworthy, ethical, kind, respectful, professional, and an excellent communicator. She always goes above and beyond.
Tammy has a calming voice and presence that has been the reason patients felt heard, seen, and understood. She has also de-escalated many irate patients who struggle with chronic psychotic disorders, as well.
No matter what day it is or what the shift may bring, I know that Nurse Tammy will show up and present with all of the characteristics I mentioned previously. She is steady, consistent, and reliable. The patients need that, but let's be honest, the staff needs that, too. She brings light wherever she goes, with an uplifting attitude. It impacts the morale of the unit in such a positive way.
I could go on and on about Tammy Jones, and I know for a fact that others would say the same. In fact, I have heard my coworkers say, "Tammy, why can't you be my nurse?" Because Tammy is THAT nurse, the one you want to have when you land in the hospital.
But I have a particular story recently that touched my heart so much that it compelled me to recommend her for the DAISY award.
We had a young, pregnant teenage patient who was prepping for discharge. As one of her providers on the unit, my job was to review future appointments after discharge with her and process the progress that she had made while she was in the hospital. She stated she was so glad for the treatment she received on the PMHU and was proud of the progress she had made during her visit.
As we were coming to a close with the conversation, the patient said, "You know what? Tammy saved my life. She saw me in the Assessment Center and made me feel comfortable enough to tell her the truth...I did not want to be alive anymore. I really don't know if I'd still be here if it were not for Nurse Tammy. I need to tell her that before I leave here."
The patient said that it was because of Tammy showing true care and genuine concern that prompted and encouraged her to open up about her suicidal ideation. The patient then stated that she has hope again and hope for the future.
Hearing this from the patient gave me chills. It was such a powerful reminder to me of how meaningful our work is, but also the importance of how our words and approaches can impact our patients and their treatment outcomes.
I firmly believe that Tammy's caring and compassionate presence changed the trajectory of this patient's life and that of her baby girl. I often receive positive compliments about Nurse Tammy from nearly every single patient that we have on the unit, but these particular statements from the patient were noteworthy.
Tammy Jones deserves to be recognized, and the Women's Hospital is fortunate to have someone like her serving our patients. I consider myself blessed to work with someone like Nurse Tammy Jones. Thank you.