She works with nurses from all departments and within the Duke University Health System and collaborates with Duke Cancer Institute sharing evidenced-based best practices for our Breast Flap patients. She guides the nurses to develop projects and helps them create their portfolio and write their practice exemplars. She initiated and tailored the Zero Harm Safety Huddle board to focus on real-time problem solving, based off the Plan-Do-Study-Adjust mode. She has engaged her Charge Nurses to lead the daily huddles and identify safety concerns. This resulted in a safe environment for all patients, families and staff. She directs educational efforts to ensure that the Oncology Team receives the most current flow process and care for the Breast Flap and Neck Flap Surgical patients. This top-notch leader leads by example with best practices to ensure best outcomes for the patient on a day-to-day basis. This self-reliant and versatile nurse’s duty performance make her a valuable asset to the team.

This nurse demonstrates excellence in all areas of her role. She completed her master’s degree in leadership and is currently a certified medical-surgical registered nurse (CMSRN) and board-certified nurse executive (NE-BC). She has presented nationally on a unit quality improvement initiative to prevent CLABSIs resulting in being CLABSI-free for two years. The unit, under her amazing leadership, was just recognized for being 365 days on falls without injury. This nurse has submitted innovative poster abstracts for her oncology professional organization; she shares her knowledge with others. She has published an article on leadership in a journal with her professional organization. This RN makes you believe in yourself and your team, that no obstacle of learning is unachievable. She holds herself and the team accountable. Sets high and realistic expectations for her team in huddle and on a day-to-day basis. Her delivery is concise and on point and there never is a doubt of what needs to be completed.

This dynamic leader engaged front line team members in real-time problem solving and visual management this past year, effectively decreasing patient falls with injury by 88% on her unit. Through A3 thinking and PDSA cycles, the team has come together to conduct experiments to improve patient outcomes. This nurse manager readily accepted two new patient populations to the unit: breast free-flap, and head and neck free-flaps. These innovative surgeries are not typical to this medical and surgical oncology unit. She sent some of her nurses out-of-state to shadow one of the head and neck surgeons preforming these surgeries, allowing them to come back with best practices and the knowledge of what is needed to get ready educationally and operationally to care for these patients. Normally these patients would go to ICU, but with all the preparation led by this nurse, the patients now come directly to the unit in a step-down capacity.

Team huddles set clear expectations and delegated roles. Rapidly analyzes the operations tempo and is able to be collaborate amongst the various disciplines to assist with resources needed to care for this patient population. She collaborates with various departments involved with the Head and Neck Oncology Surgical patients, ensuring all details for their care are met. A powerful leader/educator/mentor who takes every challenge head-on and brings forth confidence to each RN trained with her expertise. Her confidence and professionalism, in which she exuberates, draws the attention of all staff. This special talent of this RN allows the team to rise to excellence. Her ability to assist and change gears to help the team when a challenging situation arises is one of her strongest assets.  “Never does she make you feel, as you are a bother to her!” Willingly assists the team in providing the best patient experience. Ensures the team is practicing within their scope of practice, and holds others to perform to their level of expertise.

This nurse exemplifies the elements of Swanson’s Theory of Caring. With knowing, she engages her staff in professional development and growth by encouraging them to do poster abstracts then sending them to professional meetings when the posters are accepted. Being with, comes from her physical presence on the unit; actively listening to staff, her colleagues and patients; and giving of one’s self. Doing for, this nurse anticipates the needs of patients and her staff, while being emotionally present and providing dignity and respect. Enabling comes by supporting others’ new opportunities to learn and grow. With maintaining belief, this nurse does not participate in negative thoughts and is always looking for the bright side of a situation and shares this with her staff. She provides a sense of commitment and responsibility.

This RN defines nursing professionalism and leadership through her actions and integrity, while she achieves the mission, vision and living our values of Duke Raleigh Hospital.