Rebekkah is an emergency room Charge Nurse at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. She is a phenomenal nurse and honestly, I can't say enough great things about her. She has excellent clinical skills. She is kind, compassionate, caring, and her ethics are unmet. She ALWAYS strives to do the right thing and isn't afraid to ask questions or admit that she doesn't know something. This is what makes her such a great charge nurse. Her collaborative approach is genuine and much appreciated. When she asks my opinion or advice, I know she genuinely is interested in what I have to say and what I think. This empowers me to do the same and fosters an environment where we can all lean on each other and it ensures that the patients get the best care possible.
This was evident in a recent MCI activation that the ED had. These events occur infrequently but can have a huge impact on the entire hospital. Rebekkah remained calm. She wasn't authoritarian. Instead, she asked questions, listened to answers, and quickly formulated a plan. She is an amazing charge nurse. Rebekkah stayed after her shift and wrote KUDOS for every single team member involved. It is nice to have leadership that appreciates the effort that each person put in, no matter how small that contribution was.
Then, on the way home from her shift that she stayed over to write all those KUDOS, someone walking near Dawson Park collapsed on the street in front of her. Rebekkah quickly sprang into action, assisted the person, called the ambulance and stayed with them. She could have easily driven home or called 911 and left when others arrived. She stayed. She was there like she always is.
She is constantly seeking out ways to improve our department and herself. She recently graduated with her MSN degree and is dedicated to process improvement through her work as out unit's quality coach. Under her direction, our units Blood Culture Contamination rates have dropped to a record low. She used evidence-based practice to initiate changes and education that helped the unit reach this goal. Additionally, Rebekkah serves on the unit shared governance committee as co-chair and has been instrumental in the implementation of our front-end patient flow process which has dramatically decreased our LWBS and divert times.
When considering the DAISY Award, I can't think of a nurse who is more deserving. She surpasses all of the criteria and is an excellent role model for nurses everywhere. If I were sick, Rebekkah is the nurse I would want by my side.