Fidelity Dominguez is truly an extraordinary nurse who provides exemplary care to patients in the Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department. First and foremost, she brings her passion for the profession of nursing to everything she does. Because she has always exemplified the values of Children's, Fidelity was hand-picked by her peers to be part of the team that created the new Children's Hospital values statement. She is proud to have been involved in that work and it shows in the way she has cultivated pride and excitement here in the ED about the values and how they pertain to nursing in particular. Fidelity LIVES these values effortlessly every day in the way she interacts with her patients, their families, her peers and the entire healthcare team.

Fidelity's humble expertise shines through not only in the flawless care she provides our patients but in the way she teaches the next generation of nurses to be competent, compassionate caregivers. When Fidelity is precepting a student or a nurse new to the ED, I can rest assured that person is learning the right way to do things, the reasons behind the way we do things and how to carry out their job in a caring way to provide the best possible outcomes for patients. A senior practicum student in the ED recently had this to say about Fidelity: "She is compassionate and dedicated to education/learning. I couldn't ask for a better preceptor. Fidelity challenges me to think like a nurse every shift and no question is too insignificant. She is unflappable amid chaos yet treats every patient like family. Fidelity is a nurse to be emulated and my career will be better for having worked with her."

Generous service is at the heart of everything Fidelity does. It is again reflected in the family-centered care she provides our patients, often going above and beyond to answer questions, provide comfort and ultimately do "the right thing" for each and every child. Simply put, her customer service skills are exceptional. Families LOVE Fidelity and often report feeling extremely thankful to have had her as their nurse. She won't sit down at the nurses' station until she knows each of her patients and families have had their questions answered, is comfortable and not in need of anything. A spirit of generous service is also reflected in her willingness to serve on committees and take on projects in the ED and throughout the house. She is a primary scheduler for the ED which requires hours of work every week. She also serves on the Magnet Champions group, the ED Shared Governance Council and as part of her Values Team work has been highly involved in the creation of our new Professional Practice Model.

Boundless creativity is evident in Fidelity's approach to solving problems, big or small. She is resourceful when attempting to provide patients with optimum care and isn't afraid to try a new approach if something isn't working. If a family is upset and their mood isn't turning around despite her best efforts, she seeks alternative approaches or techniques to ensure they leave our hospital satisfied. Since taking over the ED nurse schedule in September, she has implemented multiple innovations that will ultimately provide greater employee satisfaction. She is proud of the ingenious work she has been instrumental in accomplishing related to the values statement and the Professional Practice Model which she brings to the ED in innovative ways. This pride shows in the way she has managed to create understanding and buy in from the sometimes tough crowd in the ED because when it comes to exemplifying these things, she doesn't just talk the talk, she walks the walk.