Eleni's clinical skill and especially her compassionate care exemplify the kind of nurse that our patients, their families, and our staff recognize as an outstanding role model.
As I have worked with Eleni for over 6 six years now, I have learned how she always strives to meet every DAISY criteria. What I have gotten to know is how effortlessly she has to strive because she is a natural DAISY Nurse. What I've been privileged to observe is how Eleni has grown and polished these characteristics.
As Eleni always displays compassionate care, she was a primary nurse for an 11-month- old baby, GB, and followed through with his care as he transitioned from the ICU to the general med/surg floor. GB has a very complex cardiac history. He was a patient of the hospital since birth and had never been discharged home when Eleni became his primary nurse in the PICU. GB was a patient in the NICU, PSHU, and PICU prior to being transferred to the floor.
While being GB's primary nurse, Eleni was able to pass along information throughout the weeks that may have gotten missed between shifts. She provided valuable and individualized information using the BE SAFE TOOL Handover Effectively.
Based on the PICU's action plan to improve teamwork across the units by improving our handoff which is a question on the Culture of Safety survey results, Eleni took this opportunity to ensure a safe transition to the general pediatric floor. Eleni attended transition meetings that included the PICU, general pediatric floor, and most of the sub-specialties involved in GB's care. Eleni sent emails between this unit before transfer and completed follow-up calls after GB was transferred.
One of the biggest components of ensuring a safe, effective handoff was completing a care plan specific to GB. The care plan was composed of a detailed history and summary of each body system, including medications specific to each system and special considerations for GB. This could be utilized by the nurses on the floor between their shifts to continue to handoff effectively regarding this patient.
Eleni collaborated with the floor team and thought of all GB's needs. She worked with the floor's Clinical Practice Specialist on education needed for the floor team. She ensured the floor reserved a live interpreter for the non-English speaking family especially on the day of the transfer. She and the floor manager coordinated the sending and receiving teams between the units. Eleni ensured communication remained constant and open throughout this transition process. Finally, Eleni continued to provide support for the patient, family, and the floor team.
The patient has not needed to be re-admitted to the PICU since being transferred to the general pediatric floor. By completing all of these tools, a safe, effective handoff was ensured and the PICU as a whole was able to improve our teamwork across hospital units.
PICU transfers patients to the floors all the time. The units provide handover consistently. However, with the complexity and a higher acuity of this patient, Eleni took what is a "little thing" and made such a "BIG difference" in GB's hospital stay as well as post-discharge. I am honored to work with compassionate nurses like Eleni who demonstrates all of these characteristics not just this example but for every day and every patient.