Tiffany W Karnaghon-Wirt
September 2024
Tiffany W
Karnaghon-Wirt
,
BSN
CVCU
Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics
Salem
,
OR
United States
She educated the patient and his wife about risks of exposure to others who may be ill, and how to prevent their immediate family from potential exposure.
Clinical Skills:
Tiffany Karnaghon-Wirt has the highest level of clinical skills on our unit. She can care for any patient admitted to CVCU/CVICU and most admitted to the regular ICU. She is the charge and resource nurse on our unit and the lead of the Rapid Response Team. She is constantly learning and upgrading her skills.
Compassionate Care:
One of our long term patients, who was quite young, unable to discharge due to medical conditions and possibly facing a future lung transplant, had become quite depressed and was struggling with his condition, despite being able to be taken outside for sunshine therapy or out to the lobby to visit his young children who aren't allowed on the unit. In talking with the primary nurse, Tiffany noticed this and, after getting approval from the physicians, talked with the patient and his wife about potentially transferring to another unit where they would receive exemplary care; however, they would have fewer visitor restrictions than CVCU. The wife and patient were reluctant to give up CVCU's care, however, through talking with them and highlighting the great team on the other unit, she was able to convince them to move to another unit. She worked with the receiving unit leadership to establish primary nursing for the patient and ensure no float or traveler staff would care for him. This made the patient and wife feel comfortable with this move. Tiffany orchestrated this movement of the patient for his benefit, and not because the unit needed to keep their patients.
Exemplary Service:
Beyond moving the patient to a less restrictive environment for his mental and spiritual health, Tiffany noted that as he was facing a potential transplant and that the school year was starting up. She educated the patient and his wife about risks of exposure to others who may be ill, and how to prevent their immediate family from potential exposure. She educated them about having a childcare plan in place and a “go” bag in case of getting the transplant call, so that nothing would delay this. This was education that the primary nurse could have provided in her role that day. Still, Tiffany took it on based on the relationship she built with the patient and his wife during the discussion of transferring him to another unit.
Continued Commitment:
Tiffany has demonstrated throughout her work at Salem Health her ongoing commitment to the highest level of skills she can acquire, compassionate care that considers diversity, inclusion, and equity, she serves on that committee, and exemplary service, she is our magnet Champion and a long-term member of our unit council. Her passion for high-quality nursing care and for a healthy work environment is visible to all who work with her.
Tiffany Karnaghon-Wirt has the highest level of clinical skills on our unit. She can care for any patient admitted to CVCU/CVICU and most admitted to the regular ICU. She is the charge and resource nurse on our unit and the lead of the Rapid Response Team. She is constantly learning and upgrading her skills.
Compassionate Care:
One of our long term patients, who was quite young, unable to discharge due to medical conditions and possibly facing a future lung transplant, had become quite depressed and was struggling with his condition, despite being able to be taken outside for sunshine therapy or out to the lobby to visit his young children who aren't allowed on the unit. In talking with the primary nurse, Tiffany noticed this and, after getting approval from the physicians, talked with the patient and his wife about potentially transferring to another unit where they would receive exemplary care; however, they would have fewer visitor restrictions than CVCU. The wife and patient were reluctant to give up CVCU's care, however, through talking with them and highlighting the great team on the other unit, she was able to convince them to move to another unit. She worked with the receiving unit leadership to establish primary nursing for the patient and ensure no float or traveler staff would care for him. This made the patient and wife feel comfortable with this move. Tiffany orchestrated this movement of the patient for his benefit, and not because the unit needed to keep their patients.
Exemplary Service:
Beyond moving the patient to a less restrictive environment for his mental and spiritual health, Tiffany noted that as he was facing a potential transplant and that the school year was starting up. She educated the patient and his wife about risks of exposure to others who may be ill, and how to prevent their immediate family from potential exposure. She educated them about having a childcare plan in place and a “go” bag in case of getting the transplant call, so that nothing would delay this. This was education that the primary nurse could have provided in her role that day. Still, Tiffany took it on based on the relationship she built with the patient and his wife during the discussion of transferring him to another unit.
Continued Commitment:
Tiffany has demonstrated throughout her work at Salem Health her ongoing commitment to the highest level of skills she can acquire, compassionate care that considers diversity, inclusion, and equity, she serves on that committee, and exemplary service, she is our magnet Champion and a long-term member of our unit council. Her passion for high-quality nursing care and for a healthy work environment is visible to all who work with her.