... Kelly was my Role Transition Preceptor. I spent five weeks working and learning alongside Kelly in the Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Department in Cincinnati, Ohio this December and I nominate her for the DAISY Award.

Kelly was an incredible preceptor. She was an excellent preceptor because she is a caring and exceptional nurse. From the beginning of the first shift I observed Kelly connect and engage her patients. She is efficient in every aspect of patient care. Her attention to detail in charting assessment findings to specific complaints patients verbalized upon arrival is a great professional tool for a student nurse to model as I enter into the field. In addition to Kelly s strong observational and critical thinking skills, her nursing skill set is an excellent display of professionalism with caring and patient safety a first priority. Regardless of how busy she is, Kelly takes the time to listen and communicate with each patient to really understand what she can do to help them heal and feel better. In addition to watch Kelly interactions with patients Kelly's collaboration with her co-workers is amazing. Her communication and assistance with everyone else she works with exemplifies what being a part of a team is all about. Kelly always has a smile and works with a contagious positive attitude. It is easy to see why Kelly is respected among her co-workers and support team in the ER.

As a preceptor Kelly was patient as I asked questions about "routine" procedures in the ED, specifically about starting intravenous lines on patients. After a few of my first failed attempts to initiate IV access for several patients she calmly pulled me aside and offered some suggestions on tips she found to be helpful from her own experience. The best suggestion she shared was if I am unable to get a line in after two attempts, ask for help from another nurse. Kelly explained that even an experienced nurse can have difficulty securing a line for any number of reasons. She told me, "As a nurse it is important to know when you need to stop and ask for help from someone else on the team. It is not a matter of your ability to start an IV. It is a matter of what is in the best interest for the patient."

In my brief time spent with her Kelly made it a point to encourage asking questions. Kelly said, "There are no dumb questions. I still have questions every day and I have been here over six years." Another example of Kelly's exceptional nursing ability came through on a shift when we were working in initial triage. In initial triage each patient is assigned an acuity on a scale of one to five to identify and communicate to the rest of the ER team the severity / urgency in which the patient needs treatment. I was struggling to understand what indicated the need for a level three acuity versus a four or even a five. Kelly took the time to write out a set of "guidelines" to follow when assigning acuities. Kelly explained, "The lower the acuity, the more care will need to be provided, or more urgent the care." She elaborated on some of the common chief complaints that present to the ED. "Typically a patient with abdominal pain will be assigned acuity of three on account that they will need lab work, possibly a CT/MRI and maybe a dose of pain medicine while they are here in the ER." Kelly took time to answer each question I had about the benefits of procedures performed for each chief complaint until I understood the rationale for each intervention. Her patience and making extra time to answer my questions Kelly helped me understand how assigning an acuity can help facilitate and expedite care to each patient.

I had an amazing experience with Kelly during my role transition. She is an excellent example of everything I hope to be someday as a registered nurse. Kelly is an extraordinary nurse in every sense of the word. My nomination is one way I feel she can be recognized for all of her compassionate and hard work she does every day.