Cameos of Caring - May 2018
Bedside nurses who consistently demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the art and science of nursing, as well as a strong desire to use that knowledge to improve patient care, are selected as “Cameos of Caring."
This year’s honorees are:
- Brenna Manchester, BSN, RN
- Karen Rush, RN
- Jamie Simon, BSN, RN
- Wendy Smith, BSN, RN
- Crystal Watson, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Trauma Patient Care, Miami Valley Hospital
A 16-year old young man had just wrecked his car and, unfortunately, his friend riding with him died at the scene. He was in extreme pain, and the reality of his situation was nearly too much for him to bear. Calm, confident, and extremely compassionate, Brenna entered the room and called him by name. She leaned over and said “I know you’re scared; I’m going to take care of you.” As she began to assess him, she asked if he liked football. His eyes opened and lit up as he said, “Oh, gosh, I love the Steelers.” She stopped, pointed at her Steelers earrings, smiled, and said, “Me, too!” Through this exchange, a bond was formed between a scared teenager and a caring nurse. She continued to work while talking about the latest game and player stats. For a moment, he forgot about his situation, and his thoughts retreated to a more acceptable place. Brenna finds a way to relate to her patients and earn their trust. She is well respected among her peers, shows compassion and love to patients and families, uses her voice to soothe away fear, and cares for patients on what may be the worst day of their life. She is a priceless asset to the Trauma team and Premier Health.
Karen Rush, RN
Clinical Nurse, Fidelity Health Care
Karen has been in nursing for 37 years. Her husband, daughter, and niece also have become nurses as a direct result. She has been with Fidelity for the past 21 years, and loves her patients. She has been called an “angel,” “sunshine,” and “the best part of my day,” all of which are very humbling. Karen often goes the extra mile, such as changing dirty diapers, making a quick meal, and taking out a lot of trash. She shows respect, is a woman of her word, and an excellent communicator. If patients go to the hospital, Karen calls them or their family to see how they are doing. She often gives hugs, encouraging words, or little prayers. Karen also sees patients in independent services. She sang “Happy Birthday” to one of her patients, who cried tears of happiness! Such little effort, but so rewarding. Most little extras are not observed, especially in home care, but are so very satisfying. At the end of the day, after the unexpected changes, after all the computer work, emails and phone calls, Karen is thankful for the honor of being a nurse. It is not just her job, it’s her mission and calling.
Jamie Simon, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Ambulatory Surgery Center, Upper Valley Medical Center
Jamie worked on the Med-Surg Unit for many years, but had an interest in the operating room and was able to transfer to Surgical Services. She has always provided exceptional patient care and focuses all of her attention on the patient and family. She always makes the most of the moment and provides an upbeat work environment for staff as well. While providing ENT Services in our department, Jamie goes above and beyond to make the experience less frightening for our younger patients by making the experience more fun. She recently made a “Super RN” cape from a drape and wore a mask to appear as a super hero to ease a youngster’s anxiety. Gestures like this make a world of difference to our patients and their families. Jamie “walks the talk” and uses RICE, AIDET, and HEART when providing care. She is an asset to our team and makes the work day more fun for everyone.
Wendy Smith, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse Team Leader, Labor and Deliver, Good Samaritan Hospital (closed in 2018)
As a Labor and Delivery nurse, Wendy constantly uses evidenced-based practices when caring for patients and mentoring team members. She encourages skin-to-skin and delayed bathing with infants. To her patients, she is calm, encouraging, and stands by their side; giving them the strength they need in those difficult moments of labor and birth. As a team leader, she is recognized by her coworkers as a strong, dependable, and amazing nursing resource for all. As we know, being a team leader is very demanding. Wendy cheerfully keeps a level head and does all of this with a smile on her face! When the floor is busy, she helps keep spirits up and staff motivated by providing reassurance and guidance for prioritization of tasks. To support team building, Wendy came up with the amazing idea of hosting a semi-formal dinner dance for our staff Christmas party. Fundraising events were held throughout the year to support the “Birthing Ball.” Everyone applauded Wendy for bringing the team closer together! She is such a bright light on our unit, and truly loves what she does.
Crystal Watson, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Endoscopy, Atrium Medical Center
Crystal meets all the criteria of an extraordinary nurse. She shows compassion, goes above and beyond, is persistent, has attention to detail, and exhibits professionalism. She is truly a patient advocate and will go out of her way to help. Crystal also is a huge team player. She consistently picks up extra call during the week and weekends. She also has taken on more responsibility as a team leader, and communicates well with technicians, anesthesiologists, and doctors to facilitate safe, quality care for our patients. Crystal exemplifies attention to detail in how she recognizes changes in a patient’s condition, which has led to quick action in keeping the patient safe throughout procedures. She shows compassion and professionalism toward every patient, every time. Crystal is a true professional. Facing medical problems of her own, this has been a difficult year for her. Yet, the amazing part is that her co-workers or patients would have no idea. Crystal shows up to work every day with a smile and is always sweet and funny. She makes a huge difference in the lives of her co-workers, and her patients.
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