Mr. Tyler Bradsell is a nurse in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH). For his first four months in the role, he did double duty, covering down as the Outpatient Mental Health nurse, as the one position was gapped. He continues to assist and cover down for this role when the OMH nurse or medical assistant are on leave or out sick. He has demonstrated enormous versatility in his role in the directorate. This type of nursing work is often behind-the-scenes, but he has been critical in working with six psychiatry prescribers to manage patient medications and refills, referrals, and more. For example, he is currently assisting with referral management for our Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program to cover down for a corpsman's extended leave. 

While his title is "CAMH Nurse," Mr. Bradsell is truly an asset to the entire Directorate for Mental Health. Mr. Bradsell works well with all members of the team to find creative solutions. He has cultivated strong relationships with our program analyst, referral staff, front desk staff, corpsmen, and providers and always brings a positive, calm attitude to solving day-to-day challenges. When patients need a safety check, he works with the template manager to adjust the provider's schedule and meet this need. He is an empathetic, caring patient advocate who always prioritizes the human aspect of patient care and case management. When our intake queue is several months beyond the open scheduling template, he follows up weekly with patients and their parents to give updates and projected timelines, helping them to feel safe and cared for. He has initiated several measures to optimize the use of patient appointments and reduce wait times, often going to the Multi-Service Ward to talk with parents and hand-deliver the lengthy intake packet required prior to booking a psychiatry intake appointment or safety-check. For parents of a child having a mental health crisis, this extra level of care and regular contact can help to demystify what can feel like a complicated process at a difficult time. Mr. Bradsell was also part of a collaborative effort with the CAMH front desk staff to initiate a Genesis pool. This allowed improved communication between staff regarding the status of a patient's intake packet and linked this documentation to the patient's chart. This replaced an outdated and redundant Excel spreadsheet process and has improved the accuracy, confidentiality, and smooth flow of information exchange. 

Mr. Bradsell has also adapted to changing corpsman availability and contractor position descriptions, assisting with vitals and scoring and entering mental health screeners for child and adolescent patients and their parents. These tasks, which take place with every CAMH appointment, must be carefully managed alongside the existing nurse responsibilities. Mr. Bradsell has been a flexible team player while navigating this redistribution of clinic tasks. Mr. Bradsell is a resource to all and frequently offers to assist with corpsman skill sustainment, advice for those studying for the EMT exam, and so on. He has been a solid member of our team for over six months, and his diligent work on processes and commitment to relationship-building has helped sustain and support CAMH services even in a time of high demand. For his patient advocacy, attentiveness to providers, and the wealth of skills and experience he has brought to improve our clinics and directorate, he is very deserving of the DAISY Award.