Juanita Allcorn
May 2017
Juanita
Allcorn
,
BSN, RN
Oncology
Midland Memorial Hospital
Midland
,
TX
United States
Juanita practices as the clinical manager of the Oncology Unit and the Outpatient Treatment Center. She is the first to receive the DAISY Nurse Leader Award at Midland Memorial Hospital. The following nominations were submitted by Juanita's clinical staff and her director.
Nurse leaders are a vital component of any nursing team and are passionate about what they do. Effective nurse leaders should lead by example, be a person of good character- possessing strong moral and ethical principles. A great leader displays compassion, encourages others, and strives to unify and strengthen their unit by valuing their individual team member's ideas and experience; recognizing that each person contributes something unique. He or she pushes their team members to provide the best of nursing care, be actively involved, and pursue excellence always. Contrary to what some may believe, nurse leaders do not have to be loud to be effective or make their presence known. These qualities and so much more describe the leadership of Juanita Allcorn.
I have had the privilege of working under Juanita's leadership for the past 1 ½ years. While in school for my BSN, Juanita made every effort to accommodate my schedule ensuring I had adequate time to complete assignments while meeting work requirements. After being laid off from my primary job in August of 2016, she did not hesitate in saying that she had a place for me to work full time. She is quick to celebrate and support the successes of others whether it be advancing in the clinical ladder, receiving a certification, Bravo card, or DAISY Award.
During our UBC meetings, Juanita encourages each of us to participate in problem-solving to help make our unit perform at its best. One aspect of her leadership I appreciate most is not only that she is a fierce advocate for our patients but also for her staff. When complaints or issues arise, she takes the time to investigate it fully before making a conclusion or passing judgment. If corrective actions are to be made, she is careful not to simply focus on where you fell short but draws on your strengths to help you improve. She works tirelessly and is selfless always making herself available for questions or concerns- even on her days off.
Lastly, Juanita encourages us to pursue things which are in the best interest of our patients. A recent example of this came just a few weeks ago with one of our hospice patients. This patient voiced she needed to see her dogs which she had been separated from for over a week. After consulting with Juanita, she provided me with the staff member's name to contact to arrange a visit. Long story short, the dogs came and the patient was delighted because her needs were met. Although some voiced displeasure over the dogs' visit, Juanita remained steadfast, recognizing it's about doing what is right for the patient. She knew this would accomplish one of two things, give this patient the determination she needed to go home and be with them or give her peace about passing away at the hospital. I'm so thankful for Juanita and all that she does for our patients, our unit, and our team.
***
Juanita strives daily to impact the care of the Oncology patients. Her passion for patient care shows through in her leadership. Juanita exemplifies the core values and daily promises. She owns her practice and leadership. She is a mentor to staff and works with the team to make an impact on patient care. Her leadership has significantly impacted quality metrics. The Oncology Unit has not had a fall with injury in over a year! The CLABSI, CAUTI, and pressure ulcer rates have decreased significantly under Juanita's leadership. While rounding the staff always discuss how supported they feel.
The Oncology Unit has initiated large projects and seems to always be the go to unit for trialing new practices because they are actively involved and engaged. Their UBC is robust and the unit is always striving to make a change to provide high-quality care. As literature shows, the engagement and quality driven items are directly tied to leadership. This is why the Oncology Team and I wish to recognize Juanita Allcorn as DAISY Nurse Leader of the Year.
This is Juanita's 2nd DAISY Award!
Nurse leaders are a vital component of any nursing team and are passionate about what they do. Effective nurse leaders should lead by example, be a person of good character- possessing strong moral and ethical principles. A great leader displays compassion, encourages others, and strives to unify and strengthen their unit by valuing their individual team member's ideas and experience; recognizing that each person contributes something unique. He or she pushes their team members to provide the best of nursing care, be actively involved, and pursue excellence always. Contrary to what some may believe, nurse leaders do not have to be loud to be effective or make their presence known. These qualities and so much more describe the leadership of Juanita Allcorn.
I have had the privilege of working under Juanita's leadership for the past 1 ½ years. While in school for my BSN, Juanita made every effort to accommodate my schedule ensuring I had adequate time to complete assignments while meeting work requirements. After being laid off from my primary job in August of 2016, she did not hesitate in saying that she had a place for me to work full time. She is quick to celebrate and support the successes of others whether it be advancing in the clinical ladder, receiving a certification, Bravo card, or DAISY Award.
During our UBC meetings, Juanita encourages each of us to participate in problem-solving to help make our unit perform at its best. One aspect of her leadership I appreciate most is not only that she is a fierce advocate for our patients but also for her staff. When complaints or issues arise, she takes the time to investigate it fully before making a conclusion or passing judgment. If corrective actions are to be made, she is careful not to simply focus on where you fell short but draws on your strengths to help you improve. She works tirelessly and is selfless always making herself available for questions or concerns- even on her days off.
Lastly, Juanita encourages us to pursue things which are in the best interest of our patients. A recent example of this came just a few weeks ago with one of our hospice patients. This patient voiced she needed to see her dogs which she had been separated from for over a week. After consulting with Juanita, she provided me with the staff member's name to contact to arrange a visit. Long story short, the dogs came and the patient was delighted because her needs were met. Although some voiced displeasure over the dogs' visit, Juanita remained steadfast, recognizing it's about doing what is right for the patient. She knew this would accomplish one of two things, give this patient the determination she needed to go home and be with them or give her peace about passing away at the hospital. I'm so thankful for Juanita and all that she does for our patients, our unit, and our team.
***
Juanita strives daily to impact the care of the Oncology patients. Her passion for patient care shows through in her leadership. Juanita exemplifies the core values and daily promises. She owns her practice and leadership. She is a mentor to staff and works with the team to make an impact on patient care. Her leadership has significantly impacted quality metrics. The Oncology Unit has not had a fall with injury in over a year! The CLABSI, CAUTI, and pressure ulcer rates have decreased significantly under Juanita's leadership. While rounding the staff always discuss how supported they feel.
The Oncology Unit has initiated large projects and seems to always be the go to unit for trialing new practices because they are actively involved and engaged. Their UBC is robust and the unit is always striving to make a change to provide high-quality care. As literature shows, the engagement and quality driven items are directly tied to leadership. This is why the Oncology Team and I wish to recognize Juanita Allcorn as DAISY Nurse Leader of the Year.
This is Juanita's 2nd DAISY Award!