Clinical Practice - May 2019

Brittany Broughton, BSN, RN, SWA
Clinical Nurse, Fidelity Health Care
Brittany is a perfect example of a nurse who deserves an award. She is the first one to volunteer when I am calling out for help with patients. Her positive attitude and love for nursing and her patients is obvious in all that she does for us here at Fidelity. She is always helping after hours and I received this from one of our triage staff: “Brittany is the ultimate team player!” There have been countless times I have been working triage and she will pick up visits in the evening or on the weekend, often when she is off for the day or has already worked all day. She once picked up a visit around 10 pm so she could help when the on-call staff were extremely busy. She will go out of her area to pick up and help any time there is a need. She will not hesitate to see how she can help. I appreciate how Brittany is a team player and the excellent patient care she provides to all our patients.

Mallory Burdine, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Atrium Medical Center

Mallory serves as both a preceptor for our new nurses and a relief team leader for our unit. She not only cares about her patients and peers but is always willing to go above and beyond to help them. She is one of the best preceptors on our unit, always addressing issues along the way and bringing them to the attention of the leadership team so that the team can grow. She is a great resource for new nurses, she is experienced and knowledgeable and eager to share with new staff. She is involved in quality improvement activities to help guide positive patient outcomes. She remains calm in stressful situations and helps keep the rest of the staff and patients calm as well. Her positive attitude really impacts the entire atmosphere on the unit. Physicians and peers alike really respect Nadine and appreciate the nurse that she is.

Nicole Dobbs, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Nicole is one of those nurses who make the most of “10,000 little moments” with patients and peers. Her team members speak about ways Nicole has helped them and how wonderful she is. When precepting, she enthusiastically teaches, encourages new nurses, and shares her high standards. This nurse finds joy in making a difficult situation manageable. Her knowledge of how to take care of some of the sickest patients in the hospital is invaluable. Nicole always remains calm, builds trust, anticipates patients’ needs, and never makes judgments. She will sit down and brush and braid a patient’s hair, even on a busy day. She makes sure every patient every time gets the very best care. One such moment was captured by a family as they reflected when they found out their loved one was not expected to make it through the night. She stayed with the family and explained what to expect and supported them. Moments like this impact others for a lifetime.

Sara Finkes, RN
Clinical Nurse, Upper Valley Medical Center

Sara stands out and above the “normal routine.” She brings energy, spirit and heart to each patient, every moment, every time. She “captures” her patient’s attention by getting close, establishing eye-to-eye contact and giving an appropriate, caring touch, especially when the patient is nervous. As Sara moves her patient’s cart through the hallway, she is BESIDE the cart as she is pushing it so she can maintain eye contact with her patient. She doesn’t do it because it is easy, but because it is her personal touch for her patient. An OR nurse doesn’t get much time to develop that ‘bond’ with her patients, but Sara tries to really make each moment count. Her vivacious spirit is contagious and always is a positive influence for the unit. She is also one of the key educators for the new Beaker system for the OR. She created a poster and made learning the new system fun and easy. She is there when we have questions and explains it in a way that you can understand. Sara is a highly skilled clinician, true patient advocate, dedicated mentor, and insightful educator.

Alexandra Fortner, LPN
Clinical Nurse, Premier Physician Network

Alexandra is a true caregiver with her “above and beyond” positive attitude. Every day she demonstrates compassion and respect by offering a voice of mature reason to the elderly patient who wants a dog but won’t be able to afford to feed it; following up on an office visit with a phone call to the minor patient who reports having been abused; or offering aid to the bedbug-infested patient just wanting a flu shot. These are ways that she “just does her job” because it is the right and caring thing to do. She is the one who is willing to work during scheduled time off to cover shortages and often floats to other offices to assist the team. Alexandra works with her peers to develop more efficient work flows to make her patients’ experiences more meaningful and has become one of the clinical staff most trusted by our physicians.

Emily Gabel, RN, C-EFM
Nurse Team Leader, Upper Valley Medical Center

Emily has shown me what it means to be the “best of the best.” One day we heard a stat call for a pediatrician numerous times, then again for any OB physician. Emily is trained in all areas of our unit, but well versed in labor/delivery, special care nursery, and post-partum. Emily felt she could be of some assistance with this emergency in the ED and went there. She was met with an infant who needed all life saving measures and helped to stabilize the baby until he was OK for transfer. This event affected Emily emotionally for many days. This is just an example of how she leads by example on this unit and demonstrates our core values of respect, integrity, compassion, and excellence. Emily is also a wonderful team leader on our unit. She makes the most of each moment with every patient she encounters. In nursing school you are taught many clinical aspects, but you aren’t taught about the compassion and sincerity of nursing. This nurse exemplifies these values to the core and any nurse working with her is blessed to have her on their team.

Brittany Hart, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Brittany is a team player who continues to advance her knowledge while acting as a mentor and preceptor to new hires and Versant residents. Several physicians have commended her for how well she communicates with them when calling throughout the night about patients who have declined or who have had clinical changes. There once was a patient who complained of chest pain. The nurse called and notified Brittany, and she immediately helped facilitate the appropriate measures to help the patient. An ACT alert was initiated, which turned into an AMI alert. Staff commented on how smoothly this ACT alert went and how calm Brittany stayed during this event. Brittany had never been trained as an alternate Team Leader, and basically learned on the fly when there was not a trained alternate on. She handled the responsibility like she had been doing this forever. The next day when I came in, the unit was very calm and orderly, and staff could not compliment Brittany’s leadership ability enough. She stepped right up and handled the situation professionally.

Debbie Herman, RN, IBCLC
IBCLC/Lactation, Miami Valley Hospital

Debbie demonstrates daily the qualities that exemplify patient-centered care, compassion, and professional practice. She always recognizes that each patient or mother-baby dyad are individuals, respecting their particular needs, as well as their diversity. Working collaboratively with ancillary staff, she acts as an advocate for her mothers and babies. This nominee is always willing to help when asked and is flexible with her assignment based on the needs of patients and other staff. Debbie recently became a part of our Breastfeeding Improvement Team for our special project to support the mothers of babies born under 1,500 grams. She has developed an Excel spreadsheet that significantly improved communication and ease of workflow for the entire six-member team. Her contribution has made it possible to spend less time gathering data and more time with the mothers and babies at the bedside. She initiated this change without being asked. Her ability to see a problem and envision and implement a solution is a valuable contribution to our department.

Jamie Krull, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Premier Health System Support

Jamie is the type of nurse with whom everyone wants to work. She is THE example of a great co-worker who always puts her patients first. She is a great resource in our department for all new employees and helpful to anyone needing to ask a question. She works many hours of overtime, coming in to work extra on days off, and continues to give 110 percent. She works in the outpatient setting and goes to all lengths to “get it done” for her patients. This nurse demonstrates nursing autonomy daily but works closely with the surgeon’s office and multiple departments to coordinate all ordered testing. Jamie works with some of the most challenging and fragile patients to get them ready for their very serious surgeries. Many of her patients have serious diagnoses, and long-term survival is not always a given. Jamie always shows compassion for the patient and their family by making their pre-op experience as smooth as possible. I am honored to call her my colleague and my friend and to learn from her. I am inspired to be a better nurse and person thanks to her example.

Romana Mahboob, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

When I first started on ME5, I would follow Romana into rooms to listen to her give education on chemotherapy to newly diagnosed cancer patients so that I could become more familiar with common chemotherapy regimens on our floor. She is a real nurse who, despite time constraints and job demands, sat down bedside with an elderly woman who had declined ECF placement to go over discharge instructions. She carefully reviewed each section and allowed for teach back. She asked the patient questions to help the patient think through how she would accomplish her needs once discharged and at home. The patient could have been considered rude, demanding, and impoverished by everyday standards. This nominee continued with respect and caring despite the absence of appreciation through 30 minutes of teaching. This very patient had displayed mistrust of the nominee earlier in the day because of her head scarf, yet this nominee gave all she had to offer as a nurse to this patient.

Megan Middleton, RN
Ortho Case Manager, Fidelity Health Care

Megan is the “best of the best.” She is one of the most efficient and thorough nurses I have ever had the pleasure to work with. I have seen her spend extra time going over each medication with a patient and break it down to their level until they have a clear understanding. She never rushes, and always gives both her patients and their family her full attention. She has been a calming influence with patients who are new to surgery and the recovery process, assuring them it will “all be all right.” She has great compassion and uses humor to alleviate any fear the patient may have expressed. She is always upbeat and enthusiastic, and she leads by example. Her patients have expressed that she provided the best nursing care and, if ever in need of a nurse, she would be their choice. She is a leader and a mentor and has personally volunteered to take nursing students out in the field. Her positive attitude sets a gold standard on how a nurse should be. She truly loves what she does, and it shines through with every interaction I have had with her over the past five years.

Melissa Peterangelo, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN
Critical Care APRN, Miami Valley Hospital

In early 2017, I completed my degree and accepted a new role at a new facility, leaving behind a 15-year history with my prior position. Immediately upon starting my new role, I was taken under the wing of an experienced clinician and leader in a role much like my own. Melissa had a working knowledge of the aspects of our roles, including our core competencies, and is well versed in the system operations of our facility and well respected by both the nursing and medical teams. As a mentor and a leader, she was readily available for any questions related to patient care, staff interactions, crucial conversations, program facilitation and interdisciplinary collaboration. In addition, she was able to guide me, and our peers, through the process of licensure, certification and credentialing. This clinician spearheaded numerous projects to bring the latest evidence-based practices to our critical care patients. In early 2018, when our roles changed, Melissa held true to her values, acting as a sounding board for the rest of her team, all while her future was also uncertain. All in all, my goal is to one day be the mentor she is today.

Martina Rose, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Martina is recognized constantly by patients and families for her caring attitude. When Martina had to travel with one of her patients, she went into another patient’s room and made a plan with him and his wife to get him settled for the night before she left the floor. The patient’s wife stated it meant a lot that she made sure he would be fine while she was off the floor for a half hour and that other nurses were available in her absence. Patients often recognize Martina as having made a positive impact on their hospital stay. She is extremely thorough and takes time to listen to her patients. Martina exemplifies respect and integrity, both with patients and peers. One of her best qualities is her compassion for others – not only her patients, but also her coworkers. When she knows one of her peers is going through a tough time, she is the first one to reach out to them. She can often be found planning delicious carry-ins to boost moral, or writing an inspirational quote on the white board in the nurses’ station.

Danielle Sundermeyer, BSN, RN, OCN
Clinical Nurse, Atrium Medical Center

Danielle has spent much of her career as an oncology nurse. This has given her a broad knowledge base, enabling her to be an excellent caregiver, mentor, preceptor and role model. Danielle has been there for so many patients and families in their time of need. Her special touch and caring demeanor are irreplaceable, whether it is a smile, a hand on a shoulder, or a hug when needed. She possesses compassion, dedication, innovation, and integrity, treating her patients as if they were her family. She will go out of her way to try to ease the troubles of even the most difficult patient. She never seems impatient, even when the unit is extremely busy. She always has a positive attitude and embraces a caring culture in a stressful situation for many. Danielle is certified in oncology and provides excellent evidence-based nursing care. She is a role model for nurses learning chemotherapy and oncology. Danielle is the essence of caring!

Beverly Tate, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Beverly has a knack for putting patients first and managing up her peers. As a preceptor, she introduces us to members of the care team saying, “She is such an asset to our team,” or “She really brings a lot of knowledge.” We see her doing this for other team members and in so doing she eases our patients’ and families’ minds while promoting confident feelings in staff. Beverly consistently puts patients first by going out of her way to ensure they have what they need to take care of themselves after surgery. She assisted a patient by calling an outpatient pharmacy in their hometown to see if prescriptions had been received and were ready. Finding the pharmacy closed, Beverly notified the surgeon, asking him to provide new prescriptions for the patient to take to another pharmacy. The patient and family left feeling confident they had been well cared for and could manage the rest from the comfort of home. Her patient interactions are caring and thoughtful, involving the family while addressing the patient’s needs. She is an exemplary co-worker, always willing to go above and beyond to help the team. Beverly is a great preceptor, and a wonderful nurse.

Dana Webb, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Dana exceeds expectations. She is a valuable team member to the department. Words like “walking the talk” and “leads by example” bring her to mind. Dana works at high levels to make sure we meet our team metric goals. She does a spectacular job encouraging and helping peers, too. She consistently pulls the team together to decide on how to be most effective and efficient. An example of Dana’s dedication to excellence, patient experience, and meeting goals was on a very busy day in the ETC. We had 25 plus people in the waiting room, inpatient beds were tight, and our acuity for the day was high, with no end in sight. Dana was patient flow coordinator for ETC beds. Within a few hours, she had the waiting room cut in half and ER wait times drastically reduced. Patients were finally able to be seen by physicians. She did this by pulling team members together and assigning tasks to them such as discharges and room cleaning. She kept triage accountable for direct bedding and was in constant communication with nurses. She identified creative solutions on how to effectively see lesser acuity patients, too. Dana exemplifies respect, integrity, compassion, and excellence.

Kathy Wenk, RN
Nurse Team Leader, Miami Valley Hospital

Kathy embodies what it truly means to be a team leader. She is exceptionally clinically competent and able to maintain her composure during the most difficult situations. There was an instance when a patient started to code and require MTP with multiple other bedside interventions. Kathy was able to support us through this process and provide us with all necessary resources to complete the job in the best way possible. Afterward, we discovered a similar scenario was happening in another room simultaneously. As a team leader, having one of these situations would prove to be challenging but Kathy was able to remain calm while keeping her composure and supporting both rooms to provide the best outcomes, allowing nurses to take the best possible care of these patients. In addition, she is always looking to improve her team and support them on their journey to becoming better nurses. Lastly, Kathy loves to help her team learn and grow. After a bad day, she will sit and talk with a nurse to help focus on the positives and acknowledge, in a helpful way, what could be done differently next time. Kathy is a phenomenal team leader, nurse, and person.

Kayleigh West, BSN, RN
Clinical Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital

Patients and co-workers describe Kayleigh as genuine, sincere, respectful, FUN, special, valuable, and a great advocate. She takes time to connect with patients on a personal level, allowing both patients and loved ones to express their feelings. Kayleigh even checks in with them on her days off. She gives them peace of mind. Patients speak of Kayleigh fondly, remembering her as a compassionate presence and strong patient advocate. She exemplifies what it means to be caring, and is a skilled nurse with her patients, families, and peers. A peer was going though cancer and Kayleigh went to their chemo treatments, even taking care of them at home. She precepts new staff so they learn the best way to care for our patients. She comes to work every day with a smile on her face and the energy and drive to provide quality care. She lifts her teammates and encourages a strong team spirit. Community is important to Kayleigh. She volunteers at a hospice camp for kids and soccer camps. She fosters a culture of learning by seeking and sharing new opportunities that promote a sense of community among staff. Kayleigh has blessed our team.

Andrew Williams, BSN, RN
Tier 2 Float Nurse, Miami Valley Hospital North

Andrew is a highly skilled nurse who takes very good care of his patients and can handle any situation that arises, especially when there is a medical crisis. He may be busy with his own patients, yet he consistently asks his peers if they need any assistance and literally bends over backward to help them. When Andrew does assist you, he is very knowledgeable and skilled. He consistently mentors and coaches his peers so that they can deliver the best care to their patients. He never seems stressed and is always in control; no situation seems to bother him. He is an amazing team player and we are fortunate to have him.

Rachel Yockey, BSN, RN, CCRN-K, CMSRN, VA-BC
Clinical Resource Nurse/Administrative Officer, Miami Valley Hospital South

Rachel is an incredible leader, advocate, mentor, teacher and nurse. She is highly skilled and loves to teach. She holds three certifications and pursues all educational opportunities, demonstrating her deep commitment to giving the best care possible to each patient. She truly cares for her patients and really listens to make them feel valued and comfortable. Rachel advocates for patients and staff, understanding that equipping nurses with the skills, confidence, education and resources they need leads to better and safer patient care. She empowers the staff to stop, think, act and review a situation to maintain the highest levels of safety and efficiency. She always asks the right questions, explores options and implements solutions. She works collaboratively with all staff, including physicians, nurses and PCTs. Rachel is knowledgeable, kind, helpful and approachable, making her a well-known and respected team member. She goes above and beyond her required duties and volunteers to do extra things to ensure the units are successful. She leads by example in all that she does. Rachel truly is an extraordinary asset to Premier Health.