Kara is a quintessential team leader, bringing a high degree of enthusiasm and knowledge to the wide variety of tasks necessary to operate an inpatient medical unit. She is extremely formal and patient-facing, treating everyone with respect, dignity, and compassion. Additionally, she expects the same standards from her staff and follows through when variances occur. Outside of the office, Kara is an avid volunteer promoting Bridgeport Hospital in the local community. Her strength is cultivating a team around her that will strive to promote compassion and the patient experience.

Kara creates a milieu that promotes the patient experience. In managerial situations, Kara is straightforward and direct with her staff. Her openness to accepting new challenges and encouraging others is how she best empowers her team. Kara is not afraid to lead by example, jumping into emergency situations and ensuring effective patient care. Regardless of code or creed, Kara is always the first to provide help. After an acute incident, Kara will round on the affected staff and clients to ensure that they are OK. Kara motivates her staff by seeing the humanity in patients. Kara often challenges her teams to see beyond the diagnosis and view the clients as children, parents, or grandparents. Having that personal connection is critical when creating a shared mission for a medical unit. Kara helps both her patients and staff come to the best possible outcomes and promotes the skills necessary to provide higher-quality care. This personalized staff empowerment further enriches the Northwest 7 team to make educated decisions advocating for their clients. 

Two recent examples center around disgruntled patients and families. Due to no fault of her team, Kara was forced to address a volatile situation around a patient refusing discharge. With dignity and compassion, Kara was able to address concerns and ensure a mutually agreed-upon solution. The second situation that occurred that week that should be highlighted was a situation regarding improper transfer to her unit. Kara and her team ‘stopped the line’ and ensured that the patient was transferred to a unit that could better provide for the specific care needs. Kara was able to use her knowledge and influence to ensure quality care. The patient was grateful for this advocacy. Overall, Kara has cultivated a versatile team around her, and her patient-centered approach is how she achieves success. Often, leadership and patient care overlap and her ability to navigate these complex relationships is how she promotes this measure.
 
Kara is often the first manager on the floor and is often the last to leave. She cares about both her day and night teams tremendously and is willing to go the extra mile for patients, staff, and administrators. She is always approachable even during periods of high stress and will do her best to put patients first. It should not be understated that Kara empowers her team to do more and push their limits. With this in mind, she holds her teams accountable for fulfilling their roles and expectations. She is responsible for creating a staff-centered environment that promotes integrity, dignity, and respect. Kara Burdick is a manager who I strive to emulate, and Bridgeport Hospital is lucky to have her leading Northwest 7.