Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Senior Manager of Clinical Professional Development

PerfectServe’s Nurses of Note awards program honors nurses who deserve recognition for their remarkable resilience and unwavering dedication to their patients. In the second year of the Nurses of Note program, PerfectServe wants to shine a light on the integrity, perseverance, and compassion that nurses so regularly display in the course of caring for patients.

The incredible stories of these honorees paint a clear picture of the individuals who populate this noble profession, and their experiences offer just a glimpse into the many ways they make the world a better place. Of the 200-plus nominations PerfectServe received, we selected a group of providers to spotlight throughout the year.

August of 2022 holds many holidays and awareness dates that pertain to childhood illnesses and health: Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month, Children’s Vision and Learning Month, National Breastfeeding Month, and National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Month—just to name a few. In honor of the way this month brings many important issues to the forefront, we chose to profile a nurse who works directly or partially in pediatrics.

Honoree 7: The Senior Manager of Clinical Professional Development at Northern Westchester Hospital (Mount Kisco, NY) — Meghan Walter

Meghan Walter is the Senior Manager of Clinical Professional Development at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, NY. Part of Northwell Health, Northern Westchester Hospital specializes in cancer care, orthopedic and spine conditions, and maternity services. Meghan’s role as an educator makes her job especially important for the emergency department and the behavioral health, short stay, and pediatrics units. That’s a lot of hats to wear, but Meghan doesn’t mind.

Meghan knew she wanted to pursue a career in nursing in high school. Her father became ill and was hospitalized, and she saw first hand how the ICU nurses took care of both her father and her family. She was instantly inspired, and this experience put her on a trajectory to become a registered nurse in New York. She began her career as a telemetry and emergency department care nurse before she obtained her master’s degree in education. She later took on the role of Clinical Professional Development Educator, and though she does not care for patients directly at this time, her educational role is instrumental in teaching others at the hospital how to provide better care.

As a clinical educator, Meghan cited the Association of Nursing Professional Development to describe the purpose of her role, which is to “advance quality healthcare by defining and promoting professional development practices.” In other words, her goal is to be an advocate and a leading resource for nursing professionals and their development practice. Meghan oversees orientations and fellowships, mentors nurses, partners with academic organizations for educational tools, and advocates for the spirit of inquiry through knowledge acquisition and development. Meghan says her role helps nurses by promoting lifelong learning that will, in turn, provide an environment for safe practices at the bedside for patients.

Part of Meghan’s job is to create new training programs for the nursing staff at Northern Westchester Hospital. In one of these programs, Meghan taught new emergency department nurses how to use evidence-based practices in learning about new equipment. The nurses had to video the use of the latest equipment and upload these videos to an educational YouTube channel. They then printed out QR codes for easy access to the educational sessions. These videos helped other nurses and care team members quickly access video resources when operating new equipment, ensuring the entire team—regardless of department—would be better prepared to do their jobs.

Meghan also creates podcasts to disseminate information to the entire staff. Some of the podcast topics include hypertensive crisis in pregnancy, stroke, neurocritical care, surgical procedures, and more. Meghan says this is especially helpful for auditory learners, who can hear from the doctors and nurses themselves about a variety of topics. Alongside podcasts, Meghan’s team created the “Collaborative Care Connection: Improving Teamwork and Patient Safety with a Sustainable, Patient-Centered Bedside Hand-Off” poster. This staff-led project was developed to incorporate patient and best practice information into a report. Meghan assisted the team by finding research articles that supported their findings, eventually instilling multiple process changes to ensure frontline nursing staff had all the tools needed to facilitate proper patient handoffs at the bedside. As a reward for their efforts, her team was chosen to present these findings to other nurses at the Sigma Theta Tau Creating Healthy Work Environments Conference in Washington, D.C., in 2021.

Meghan’s educational role is what led her to become involved with pediatrics. In the emergency department, Meghan always had a special fondness for pediatric patients. When she stepped into her educational role, she was able to visit her hospital system’s children’s hospital to learn from and educate nurses there. On one particular trip, she learned about Northwell’s BEEMindful Program, which assesses children with neurobehavioral disorders such as autism spectrum disorder, ADD, and ADHD. The program allows providers to cluster their care and communicate with patients in a way that ensures maximum learning and understanding. Realizing her community hospital did not have a program like this, Meghan worked with a multidisciplinary team to develop sensory carts and education for all staff to identify and communicate with this population. The carts had hospital-grade diversionary activities and communication devices to ensure staff were able to provide person-centered care to pediatric patients with sensory needs. Everyone who volunteered to participate in the program did so because they had a loved one in their life with sensory needs.

But Meghan’s work in pediatrics doesn’t stop there. She once made a presentation to the Northwell Pediatric Service Line on the care of a “safe haven” infant. In New York, safe haven infants are babies up to 30 days old who are dropped off at local hospitals, EMS sites, and police and fire stations. Though the occurrence is rare, and there are policies in place related to these instances, Meghan realized there was very little guidance about which medical tests and treatments should be administered on safe haven infants who appear healthy. She worked with a team to create care guidelines, ensuring there are concrete best practices in place when and if one of these patients presents at their facility.

To say the least, Meghan is an extremely valuable member of the team at Northern Westchester Hospital. We at PerfectServe are inspired by her determination, leadership, and commitment to spreading knowledge. Her nominator wrote that Meghan “truly embodies what it means to be a dedicated resource, bedside nurse, advocate, and educator, and has improved the practice of all she encounters.” We couldn’t agree more!

Thank You

Meghan, your devotion to the continuing education of nurses and other care team members is admirable. PerfectServe is honored to highlight the work you do for Northern Westchester Hospital and for the nursing community at large. Thanks to you and the rest of your team for the impactful work you do every day!

Q&A

In addition to learning about Meghan’s role, we posed some additional questions to get to know her a bit better.

Why did you choose to become a nurse?
I always wanted to be in the medical field but initially thought I wanted to be a physician. I was a volunteer at my local Emergency Medical Service agency as an emergency medical technician. When I was a senior in high school, my father became ill and was hospitalized. It was the intensive care nurses that truly made my father and family feel comforted during that time. At that moment, I knew nursing was the right fit for me.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic?
I learned how effective communication and resource allocation is the key to overcoming almost everything. This was so with the healthcare team, as we had staff pitch in from all hospital areas throughout COVID-19. We also had to learn to communicate about all of the changing diagnostics and treatments. It was also super important to keep families in the loop as much as possible. It was a scary time! We went from a hospital with 24/7 visitation to no visitation at all. We embraced technology and worked to connect patients with their families.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about working in healthcare?
Nursing is a hard profession—mentally, physically, and emotionally. But there are times when you can see you truly made a difference for one person, and that is the best experience ever. Be sure to hold onto that feeling, especially during the most difficult times.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
After a stressful day, I regenerate and recharge by spending time with friends and family. I have a particular friend I call who helps me to destress on my way home. I also love reading. The last (non-nursing) book I read was “Rock Paper Scissors” by Alice Feeney. I love psychological thrillers.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field in the future?
I would love to see the nursing profession continue to remain one of the top most-trusted professions. I also feel it is extremely valuable for nurses to spearhead healthcare policy and research and to be at the table with our physician partners and the interprofessional team. Teamwork and collaboration create successful outcomes for patients and families!

If you had to pick one song to describe you as a nurse, what would it be?
“I’ll Be There for You” by The Rembrandts. As an educator and nurse, I feel this song best describes what I do—I’m there for the team.

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Nurse Navigator and Staff Educator

The incredible stories of these honorees paint a pretty clear picture of the people who populate this noble profession, and their experiences offer just a glimpse into the many ways they make the world a better place. Of the 200-plus nominations PerfectServe received, we selected a group of providers to spotlight during the month of May—which, of course, is home to National Nurses Week—and throughout the rest of 2022.

According to the Sarcoma Foundation of America, July is Sarcoma Awareness Month. This is a month-long recognition for cancers that occur in the bones and soft tissues of the body. In honor of this month, we profiled a nurse who works directly with this and other types of cancers on a daily basis. If you’re interested in supporting the Sarcoma Foundation of America, read more about their mission here.

Honoree 6: The Nurse Navigator and Staff Educator at Prisma Health’s Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic (Columbia, SC) — Julie Moreton

Meet Julie Moreton, MSN, RN, CPHON, and CPN. She’s been the Nurse Navigator in Prisma Health’s Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder department since 2020. A nurse of 15 years, Julie now assists with new patient education and other teachings related to cancer treatment. On top of her educational role, she makes referrals to and from other institutions, works in care coordination between appointments, and ensures research protocols are being followed. Julie educates not only new and existing patients but also provides oncology-specific education for outpatient and inpatient nurses, promoting certification and professional development among staff in her department.

Before her current role, Julie served as the Oncology Educator for the Cancer and Blood Disorder inpatient and outpatient units at Prisma Health from 2014 to 2020. As she transitioned out of that role, she knew she wanted to continue offering her unit-specific educational functions to keep the nursing staff up-to-date on current best practices in cancer care. Julie is passionate about promoting certification and professional development among staff in her department. Early in her time at Prisma Health, she started championing several professional certifications for all nursing staff in the Children’s Hospital. Since 2015, she has been responsible for maintaining a contract that allows nurses to take these certifications at no cost to themselves. This is not a job requirement—Julie does this because of the value it brings to other nurses.

Julie’s current role as the Nurse Navigator includes teaching nurses all aspects of cancer care, such as placing central lines and the basics of chemotherapy. On top of this role, Julie also serves as the President of the local Association for Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses (APHON) chapter, which Julie calls the “gold standard for pediatric chemotherapy education for nurses.” APHON offers a two-day course for nurses to develop competency in administering chemotherapy and biotherapy to care for children receiving these treatments. The process of receiving the certification to teach APHON courses, however, is no easy feat. (Connect this and next paragraph maybe?)

To become certified, Julie and two other colleagues had first to meet the qualifications to apply for a grant to learn how to teach the APHON course. Back in 2016, Julie attended the annual APHON conference to become instructor certified so she could teach the courses herself. She currently teaches two to three classes per year and, in 2022, started offering the course virtually. Her lessons are available to nurses nationwide.

For her role in navigating the course of cancer care education and chemotherapy application, we at PerfectServe feel Julie is another nursing superhero to her patients and coworkers. Julie takes on her educational role with pride and continues to support other nurses as they further their education with multiple certifications. Thanks to Julie, nurses at Prisma Health and around the country are better prepared to provide care to cancer patients and families, making Julie an outstanding Nurse of Note!

Thank You

Julie, we at PerfectServe are honored to highlight your role as the Nurse Navigator at Prisma Health. Your role in educating others and facilitating classes and certifications makes you a hero. Thank you for the education you provide and the work you do every day for patients, families, and coworkers. We are honored to call you a 2022 Nurse of Note!

Q&A

In addition to learning about Julie’s various educational roles, we posed a few additional questions to get to know her better.

Why did you choose to become a nurse?
I chose to be a nurse because one of my favorite aunts is a nurse, and I wanted to be like her! I also had an emergency room experience getting stitches when I was young, and I remember being very interested in what was happening. I chose pediatric oncology nursing after volunteering at a summer camp for kids with cancer when I was in college. I visited one of my campers during her bone marrow transplant and was fascinated by pediatric oncology nursing.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic?
The biggest lesson I learned was definitely flexibility. You are taught to be flexible in nursing school, but I had never experienced a time prior to the pandemic when nurses were asked to care for infectious patients without proper protective gear or care for patients outside their area of expertise. Many nurses are still experiencing change fatigue related to the near-constant updates received during the height of the pandemic.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about serving in the healthcare field?
There are many things I probably would have tried to warn myself about, but the main one is emotional boundaries. In pediatric oncology, you face some very difficult days. I really struggled with maintaining emotional boundaries in my early years of practice. I don’t ever regret doing something that makes life for the family of a cancer patient easier, but I know now that it isn’t healthy to be so attached.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
I like having a physical outlet for stress, and I get exercise from walking my dog. Being out in nature always helps me gain a more positive perspective. I also like spending time with friends and watching comedies like The Office; laughter is a great way to relieve stress!

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field in the future?
I would love to see nurses receive fair wages, as well as more workplaces focusing on staffing retention. Some organizations really have nurse retention as a focus, and you can tell by how they treat their nursing staff. I would also love for nurses to eventually have the energy and motivation to engage in professional development and quality initiatives when they aren’t so burned out from the pandemic.

If you had to pick one song that describes you as a nurse, what would it be?
My song would probably be “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer. I’m nothing if not a hard worker! I was always willing to work nights, weekends, and overtime to make extra money.

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: Chief Operations Officer Celebrates Pride Month and New Role

In honor of Pride Month, we’re highlighting one of our wonderful Nurses of Note honorees who also happens to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Honoree 5: Robert Mangold, BSN, RN — Chief Operations Officer at Logan County Health Services (Oakley, KS)

Having been in healthcare for over 15 years, Robert Mangold’s desire to care for others has been a fixture throughout the nursing and leadership roles that mark his career. He joined Logan County Health Services in Oakley, KS, in 2019 as the Director of Nursing, but in April of this year, he was named Chief Operations Officer for the organization. Robert is praised by colleagues for his adept management and guidance, steady professionalism, and kind demeanor. He’s also been known to fill voids wherever needed, including stepping in for other nurses when they’re out.

Robert takes pride in providing high-quality, compassionate care for his patients. In his current role, he’s responsible for the day-to-day operations of Logan County Health Services, which also means providing oversight of all clinical aspects at the center. Robert started his career in healthcare by obtaining an EMT certificate in 2007 but initially struggled with the idea of working in a predominantly female workforce. He shared that, by working in healthcare, he has learned that caring for others is a gender-neutral role. Today, he’s in the process of getting his master’s degree in nursing leadership and management.

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and in honor of Pride Month, Robert also shared the importance of being his authentic self and how that identity intersects with the nursing profession and his life in a rural community. Though the gay community in Oakley is small, Robert is passionate about the future of care for the LGBTQ+ population. In particular, he noted that mental and behavioral issues in this community need greater attention from the healthcare industry. Sadly, Robert is one of many who has lost friends to suicide—he shared a recent statistic that LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide as their peers. As this issue persists, he’d like to see more resources available for young people who may not have a proper support system to help them navigate the challenges of coming out and seeking acceptance.

For Robert, Pride Month is a reminder of the challenges the LGBTQ+ community and its allies have faced, along with the triumphs they’ve achieved. He is a strong advocate for equal rights and for educating the public on social issues that the community faces, both inside and outside of healthcare. Robert and his husband Shawn are proud dads to two children, and they’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of their third child, due in early July. He also has two beloved canine friends—a chihuahua and a standard poodle—that offer a striking juxtaposition of size when they’re together. Robert credits his success and happiness to his parents and siblings, who have been consistently supportive of him, his career, and his family throughout his life.

Robert’s nominator wrote the following about him: “He is an amazing nurse, but more than that, he is just a phenomenal person. Kind-hearted, caring, funny, professional, a great listener, forward thinker, and such a treasure for our facility to have found. He’s a class act!”

Robert’s commitment to multiple roles in the healthcare field and his leadership within Logan County Health Services make him an exceptionally deserving 2022 Nurse of Note.

Thank You

Robert, we’re honored to highlight you as a 2022 Nurse of Note. Your leadership in—and sacrifices made for—the field of nursing are deeply appreciated, and we thank you for sharing your perspectives about healthcare and issues of importance in the LGBTQ+ community.

At PerfectServe, we have a saying that has become closely connected to our core values: “Different is Perfect.” When it comes to the puzzle pieces that coalesce to form your identity—who you are, who you love, where you come from, what you believe, and so much more—we know that a life lived happily and most fulfilled is one where you can be your truest, most authentic self in every situation.

For all of these reasons, Robert, you are an exceptionally deserving Nurse of Note!

Q&A

In addition to learning about Robert’s life and experience in healthcare, we posed a few additional questions to get to know him better.

Why did you choose to become a nurse?
I knew early on that I wanted to be in healthcare, but it took me a while to decide on my career as a nurse. I started by obtaining my EMT certificate in 2007. I then decided I wanted to be in a more controlled environment, so I got my CNA. A few years later, I returned to school for my associate’s degree in nursing and received my RN license in 2015. I’ve since returned to school and received my bachelor’s in nursing in 2018, and I am currently working toward my master’s in nursing leadership and management! I struggled with the idea of being a nurse at first due to the fact that the nursing field has been predominantly populated by females. However, after working in healthcare and becoming a nurse, I strongly feel that caring for someone is a gender-neutral role. If you can provide the necessary care, that’s all that truly matters.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic?
One of the biggest lessons I learned during the pandemic was how important it is to maintain resiliency and to always take time for self-care. As caregivers, we often forget to care for ourselves, and self-care was particularly important during the height of the pandemic.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about serving in the healthcare field?
My one piece of advice would be to never be afraid of change!

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
It honestly depends on the day. Some days, I just want to relax and spend time with my family. Other days, I may choose to go for a walk, read a book, or maybe have a glass of wine or a drink with friends.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field in the future?
I would like to see standardized federal nurse-to-patient ratios based on patient acuity/level of care.

If you had to pick one song that describes you as a nurse, what would it be?
“Stand by You” by Rachel Platten. The song starts with, “Hands, put your empty hands in mine. And scars, show me all the scars you hide! And hey, if your wings are broken, please take mine ’til yours can open too, ’cause I’m gonna stand by you.” These lyrics remind me of who I am as a nurse and the importance of caring for and helping people.

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: Retired Interior Designer Embarks on Second Career as a Nurse

Honoree 4: Chris Morgan, RN — QAQI Director at CHESI (Cairo, IL)

Chris Morgan arrives early to work every single day. He is the type of nurse who volunteers during his off days and comes in on weekends to provide support when Community Health and Emergency Services Inc. (CHESI) is understaffed. The small, Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) has nine regional primary care locations in seven counties and serves everyone who walks through its doors—no one is turned away.

Chris is the QAQI/Risk Management Director at CHESI, located in Cairo, IL. But he didn’t start out in risk management or even as a nurse. In fact, Chris retired from another field to become a nurse to better serve his community and to take advantage of the opportunities available to him. Chris worked in the design field for over 20 years, teaching interior design at the University of North Texas. He moved to Cairo, IL, and as there was no longer a market for his design specialty, he began looking for other ways to serve those around him and to challenge himself to learn something new.

Chris enrolled in a local junior college and took many courses in a nursing program designed to increase the nursing population in the area. For the past 13 years, he’s served in Alexander County, a county with one of the highest rates of poverty in the state of Illinois (and the entire US). Service came naturally to him, having been a teacher for two decades. At 61 years old, he describes himself as spry and says that nursing allows him to utilize the “other side of his brain.”

When the pandemic hit, Chris created vaccine programs with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Independent Health Care Plan (ICARE) to obtain information and stock to vaccinate the community. Chris did all the applications, orders, and training required to be eligible for the vaccines from the government-assisted programs, allowing CHESI to begin administering the vaccine on the first day of the national rollout—way before many state health departments could do so. He also independently set up PCR and Rapid Testing locations through IDPH, ICARE, and the CDC. These sites also opened on the very first day possible, with all nine CHESI locations participating.

Beyond his planning work for vaccinations and testing, Chris dressed in PPE daily to perform COVID-19 testing at the door of the largest CHESI facility. He also volunteered to regularly disinfect every surface and machine inside CHESI facilities to protect coworkers and patients from the spread of the virus. According to Chris’ nominator, “There is literally no job too big or too small for him. He is always the first one willing to jump on board with any project that may benefit our organization and our patients. Any time he takes on a task or role, he does whatever he can to make sure it is done correctly. His empathy, veracity, attention to detail, and optimism are characteristics that make him an exceptional nurse.”

Chris’ detailed vision, can-do attitude, and dedication to nursing—especially after pursuing a completely different career path for decades—remind us of the incredible nurses who do life-changing work for their patients every single day. The critical, hands-on work that Chris performed across all CHESI locations makes him a remarkable nurse, indeed.

Thank You

Chris, we at PerfectServe are honored to highlight your story and your diligence in serving your community. Your journey to becoming a nurse highlights the fact that nurses come from many different backgrounds and take many different paths to arrive at the bedside. The common theme? They all want to help their patients get healthy. Thank you for the planning you do and the care you give to those around you. We are honored to call you a 2022 Nurse of Note!

Q&A

In addition to learning about Chris’ previous career and his various roles at CHESI, we posed a few additional questions to get to know him better.

Why did you choose to become a nurse, and how long have you been one?
I retired from teaching interior design at the University of North Texas. I moved to Cairo, Illinois, in Alexander County, which has the highest poverty rate in the state and nation. It’s not quite the area to continue design work! The dean’s wife in Texas oversaw two nursing programs and encouraged me to look into taking courses. I thought this would be a way to help my community and serve those in need. I went to the local junior college and took advantage of a program to increase the nursing population in our area. I have been nursing full time for 13 years!

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic?
I learned the importance of being flexible and proactive in whatever you perceive as the next problem. You also must cut through the fat of multipage announcements or alerts and get to the point; I want to receive the CliffsNotes version of what is next and what is essential!

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about serving in the healthcare field?
Make sure you reflect and review concerns. Ask yourself if the situation you are in is really a disaster or just an inconvenience. Also, don’t overanalyze the “what if?” questions in life.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
Weather permitting, I put my top down on the short drive home. I also like to walk the dogs to the river every evening. That is my ritual, and I am sure to do it on good and bad days.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field of the future?
I believe there should be some type of compassion/empathy entry exam for nursing school. Some get into this field simply as a career choice, and it is so much more than that! If you don’t care about people, you should not be a nurse.

If you had to pick one song that describes your life as a nurse, what would it be?
“The Walker” by Fitz and the Tantrums. When I hear it, I can’t stay still. It also gets me pumped at the end of a long day!

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Dynamic Nurse IT Leader

Honoree 3: Robin Gadd-Lane, MSN, RN – Manager of Digital Health and Transformation Systems at Prisma Health (Greenville, SC)

Robin Gadd-Lane wears many hats in her role at Prisma Health in Greenville, SC. As Manager for the Digital Health and Transformation Systems team, Robin leads two groups that transform, organize, and enhance nursing staff workflows, IT connections, systems, and much more. These teams support hundreds of staff across multiple hospitals and ambulatory clinics.

Robin’s Digital Health team handles all things related to telehealth, while the Transformation Systems team focuses on customer relationship management, clinical communications, and clinical on-call scheduling. Both teams work with technology and people to maintain what Robin calls a “digital front door.” As a nurse with 18 years of clinical experience, Robin credits her background in both nursing and informatics for giving her the necessary knowledge and experience, saying it has allowed her and her team to understand different perspectives among a diverse customer base.

Part of Robin’s role involves adjusting workflows to better accommodate the needs of employees and patients alike. Robin works to help nurses leverage PerfectServe’s Telmediq solution for prompt communication between providers and other groups to improve patient care efficiency. The cloud-based communication platform supports the transmission of time-sensitive information related to patient care, and Robin’s job is to assist nurses with its use in cases such as communicating strokes, traumas, rapid response, and other emergencies at multiple facilities. Robin’s work improves clinical collaboration and communication in many ways, such as removing repetitive phone calls and other interruptions to patient care by using text message workflows.

Among her many talents, Robin’s ingenuity stands out. Around two years ago, she identified a communication issue between athletic trainers and the schools they supported during practices and games. Trainers wanted to provide support and coaching to multiple students and teams, but due to scheduling, they could not be in more than one location at once. Robin and her teams combined multiple technological applications to streamline the communication capabilities between these athletic coaches and their teams, giving the trainers the ability to service multiple schools in very short periods of time. Calling the process the “Salesforce-Telmediq Video Integration,” the process works as follows:

When a student is injured without a trainer present, a QR code can be accessed to find information about the student, their coach, and their parent.
From this, a Telmediq message is triggered, connecting to an on-duty trainer who can then see all the patient’s info (the patient being the student, in this case).
A telehealth link is sent, allowing the student and trainer to connect virtually.

Robin’s process allows the trainer to see the patient in real time to potentially prevent an ER visit for something that can be treated or addressed virtually.

Through her hard work, resourcefulness, and leadership, Robin credits her team for their knowledge and perseverance. She shared that the work she does could not happen without her team, and the Salesforce-Telmediq Video Integration process could not have become a reality without their help. And though she is no longer a practicing nurse by trade, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that Robin eagerly volunteered to return to the bedside to help her colleagues during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. On top of her varied IT responsibilities, Robin took on nursing shifts during nights and weekends to ease the burden of swelling patient loads felt by exhausted staff. Robin’s natural leadership and innovation continue to make the lives of her coworkers and patients easier and more fulfilling.

Thank You

Robin, we at PerfectServe are honored to highlight the dedication and ingenuity you bring to work with you every day. Thank you for so selflessly serving your community, your coworkers, and the patients who come to Prisma Health to receive care. If you’re not the perfect example of a Nurse of Note—someone who, quite literally, goes above and beyond the call of duty for a cause that serves the greater good—we don’t know who is.

Q&A

In addition to learning about Robin’s role and her creative work process, we posed a few additional questions to get to know her better:

Why did you choose to become a nurse?
My “why” for my life is that I take joy from helping and caring for others. I find value in seeing others be successful. I became a nurse because I found, since I was young, that I always enjoyed treating cuts and other injuries my friends or family encountered. As I got older, I became more interested in the medical field. Once I saw how nurses connected with patients and became the advocates for their care, the profession just called to me. From there, I just kept finding ways to grow.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving as a nurse throughout the pandemic?
I was amazed by the sacrifices of so many in my profession. I found joy in using my nursing skills to give back to my community by giving as many vaccines as possible. However, one of the biggest lessons I have learned was that, even with all the sacrifices, too many in the community didn’t want to listen to science. The cost was measured in human lives. Therefore, my takeaway from the pandemic is that we ensure our youth become educated about the scientific method. I don’t believe this information is a lie or misrepresentation of how science works. I believe you must utilize the best evidence-based knowledge you have at that time, and as the knowledge base grows, the findings will either be validated or continue to evolve.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about serving in the healthcare field?
I wish I had started my nursing journey earlier! It took several years of trying other fields before I landed on nursing.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
Playing with my son and hanging out with my husband. Our family loves to hike, so we spend a lot of time on trails and away from technology during the weekends.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field in the future?
I would like to see nursing take a bigger role in technology. Healthcare lags behind other industries when it comes to technology, and this creates increased challenges to bring about change to the complex workflows in healthcare. Nursing is typically a central part of those workflows, and they are key to that change. The nurse’s perspective is needed to help bridge that gap between technology and healthcare.

If you had to pick one song that describes you as a nurse, what would it be?
I would say the song “Try Everything” by Shakira describes my life as a nurse.

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Mother-Daughter Duo at Mount Sinai Health System

Honoree 2: Dina Bressler, RN, and Toby Bressler, Senior Director of Nursing for Oncology at Mount Sinai Health System (New York, NY)

At just seven years old, Dina Bressler knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her mother, Toby Bressler, turned a passion for the field of nursing into an exemplary career, outlining what it means to work in a profession that makes a real difference in the lives of others. It was settled: Dina would be a nurse, just like her mother.

Toby Bressler said she followed an unusual career trajectory for an Orthodox Jewish woman. She enrolled as a nursing student at a community college in 2004 while heavily pregnant with her seventh child. Toby was driven by her lifelong dream of “tikun olam,” a Hebrew saying that means “healing the world.” She wanted to improve health equity in her own community and beyond. In turn, her dream encouraged her daughter to follow the same pathway. Today, both Dina and Toby serve as nurses at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

As with many intergenerational nurses, Dina was driven by the actions and passions of her mother. Dina watched Toby care for patients as if they were her own family, saying this taught her much about the empathy and compassion she has for her patients today. As a result, Dina chose to join the Skin Savers team at Mount Sinai Health System, where she received a certification from the WOCN Society as a registered Wound Treatment Associate (WTA). She enjoys alleviating the suffering of her patients who have clinically avoidable skin conditions. She also takes great pride in serving a largely geriatric population and feels passionate about being a voice for those who often cannot represent themselves. Dina credits her mother for instilling these values and skills in her.

For other lessons, Dina had to wait for real-world experience. She graduated nursing school in June of 2020 and learned a lot while serving at the height of the pandemic. She learned a great deal about strength and resiliency and said the pandemic taught her the importance of being a light for others in a time of bleakness. She also learned to see the good in tragic situations, saying that COVID-19 did bring people together in unimaginable ways.

Though the mother and daughter pair do not actively work together at Mount Sinai Health System, they have had many opportunities to team up for research and other projects. Dina and Toby see themselves as a dynamic duo at work and at home, and each says they learn from the other’s perspectives and experiences. Dina shared one of her favorite Shakespeare quotes that summarizes why she and her mother serve as nurses every day: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

Thank You

Dina and Toby, thank you for sharing your stories and for inspiring one another to be the best nurses you can be. It’s heartwarming to see how the actions of a mother were so inspiring that becoming a nurse was a foregone conclusion for her daughter. Thank you both for finding your gift and—most importantly—sharing it with others. You are both greatly appreciated by your coworkers, patients, family, friends, and the team here at PerfectServe.

Q&A

In addition to learning about their passion for nursing, we posed a few additional questions to this mother-daughter team:

Why did you choose to become a nurse?
Dina Bressler: I graduated from nursing school in June of 2020, and I always knew I wanted to be a nurse! Growing up and watching my mother become the nurse she is today has always been an inspiration for me.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving throughout the pandemic?
Toby Bressler: We (the healthcare community) are all in the same boat and hopefully rowing in the same direction! The pandemic was an opportunity for nurses to lead, innovate, and advance changes in healthcare delivery. The artificial boundaries to nursing practice are more permeable than we thought. Nurses are “boundary spanners!”

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about working in the healthcare industry?
Dina Bressler: The hardest part about being a nurse isn’t the schooling or training; it’s the actual role of being a nurse. The hours are long and the days are sometimes taxing and stressful. But, despite all that, the positive impact that a nurse has on their patients and those around them makes it all worth it.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?
Toby Bressler: I enjoy spending time with my children and grandchildren! I also enjoy swimming and delving into a good book. It’s important to have a support system and fulfillment outside of work.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field of the future?
Dina Bressler: In the future, I would love to see nurses have a larger role in executive decisions in healthcare. While the healthcare system and nursing field are constantly evolving, there is still a lot of positive change that can happen. I believe that nurses can and should be a part of that.

Toby Bressler: In the near future, I would like to see the development of a nursing agenda that will advance and close the gaps in health equity and social justice. In particular, I would like to see full practice authority for Advanced Practice Nurses in every state across the United States. We aren’t doing ourselves or our patients any favors with restrictive practice barriers.

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our deserving Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Nurse Informatics Team at Mecklenburg County Public Health

Honoree 1: The Nurse Informatics Team at Mecklenburg County Public Health (Charlotte, NC) — Tracy Zeigler, Taleba Morrison, and Leigh Barnhill

The Nurse Informatics Team at Mecklenburg County Public Health works to create strategic and innovative solutions in just about every department within the Public Health purview. A large part of a small system, Tracy Zeigler, Taleba Morrison, and Leigh Barnhill power the train that steers many Public Health decisions for Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, North Carolina. The team supports operations within the Public Health system, supporting over 300 employees between Clinical Services, Ancillary Services, School Health, and Trauma & Justice Partnerships. Their work directly impacts community health in areas like Environmental Health, Communicable Diseases, Community Health, School Health, Immunization Clinics, Clinic Operations in Family Planning, and more.

But Tracy, Taleba, and Leigh are not just liaisons for the Public Health department. Officially, they are all Nurse Informaticists, and they work to improve the health of local communities while reducing system costs. These three women perform many duties, including analyzing workflows, facilitating EMRs and other technology training, translating program requirements into operational terms, and working with policies and people to evaluate new initiatives. Individually, Taleba works to facilitate EMR and Preventative Health training, while Tracy’s role supports clinical policies and operations like staff training and job development. Leigh’s role primarily involves School Health, but she also helps troubleshoot issues for staff in the field.

Throughout the pandemic, the work these women performed single-handedly ensured that COVID-19 data for the entire county was properly tracked and traced. Tracy, Leigh, and Taleba focused on entering data that pertained to COVID-19, as well as developing other tools and protocols to keep the state informed and up to date. They created an EMR to track and contact those who had tested positive for the virus, ran outbreak reports and managed the state database for their county, and even trained hundreds of temporary and reassigned team members to meet the demand for care and vaccination needs. They also rolled out an appointment scheduling platform to streamline vaccination appointments for frontline medical staff and first responders, which was eventually opened to the public based on their vaccination priority status. As if all of this weren’t enough, they also worked with an immunization program to determine how many doses were needed each day and carefully managed the limited vaccine supply without wasting any doses.

Notably, this team trained the National Guard in data entry practices to report accurate numbers to the state. They also devised an electronic and physical storage system for documentation and developed a data dashboard to analyze case counts, transmission rates, mortality demographics, breakthrough cases, and potential outbreaks in Mecklenburg County. Their diligence and work have expanded well past the borders of Mecklenburg County. Nominator Jonathan Ong summarized their work and roles by saying these three women are “clinical, technical, and all-around public health superheroes!”

Thank You

Tracy, Taleba, and Leigh, your dedication to multiple areas that impact public health is deeply appreciated by your colleagues, your community, and the team here at PerfectServe. We thank you for your selfless excellence, and we wish you the best in your continued efforts to make Mecklenburg County—and the people in it—safer and more connected.

Q&A

In addition to learning about their jobs and the many ways they support public health in their home county, we posed a few additional questions to this dynamic team:

Why did you choose to become a nurse?

Tracy Ziegler: I always knew I would be in a healing profession, but I chose nursing because I knew I wanted to have diversity and variety in my workplace. I believed—and still believe—that nursing is one of the best professions to grow and be challenged in.

What is the biggest lesson you learned while serving throughout the pandemic?

Tracy Ziegler: I learned the value of remaining fluid and flexible during rapidly evolving change.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self about working in the healthcare industry?

Leigh Barnhill: I would give myself this advice: Your empathy may be challenging in stressful situations, but it is a gift.

What do you do to relax after a stressful day?

Taleba Morrison: After a long day, I like to listen to motivational commentary, play jazz music, and exercise! These things help me relax and unwind after particularly stressful days.

What changes would you like to see in the nursing field of the future?

Taleba Morrison and Leigh Barnhill: We hope to see a more balanced workload, a decrease in nursing shortages, better nurse-to-patient ratios, and for the profession to be respected on a higher level. We also hope to see an increase in people joining the nursing profession who truly love helping others.

If you had to pick one song that describes you as a nurse, what would it be?

“Under Pressure” by Queen (Leigh Barnhill), “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summers (Tracy Ziegler), and “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers (Taleba Morrison)

Make sure to follow our blog as we publish in-depth profiles about more of our amazing Nurses of Note honorees throughout the year.

For more about Nurses of Note 2022, check out the full list of winners.

AnesthesiaGo: How Software Can Help Operating Room Scheduling

Healthcare is a noble profession, but as many will attest, clinicians still have to overcome far too many daily obstacles to do what they were trained to do—treat patients.

Eliminating these obstacles with smart technology has been PerfectServe’s remit for 25 years. To be sure, medicine will always require some level of human oversight, but when you can automate manual processes that cause delays and add frustration, you’re going to make clinicians very happy.

Provider Scheduling has been doing this for years by automating the creation of provider schedules, and the newest solution to join the PerfectServe fold—AnesthesiaGo, which auto-generates daily OR case schedules—is cut from the same cloth.

Disrupting the Operating Room Case Scheduling Process

When AnesthesiaGo’s founder, a practicing anesthesiologist by the name of Dr. Mike Bronson, was unexpectedly given the responsibility of building daily OR case schedules for his group, he came face to face with a vital process that was in desperate need of a revamp.

This responsibility is usually given to a senior anesthesiologist, and it’s normal to find them building the next day’s schedule in the late afternoon or early evening—after they’ve dispensed with their clinical duties. Depending on the size of the group, it can take anywhere from 45 minutes to a few hours to finish this process. After the schedule is sent out, it’s also inevitable that the creator receives texts, phone calls, and emails requesting revisions.

Taking on this kind of tedious task after finishing a day of procedures is, to say the least, not ideal. And that’s why Dr. Bronson was convinced he could do it better with technology.

With help from a friend who had deep experience in the fields of data analytics, advanced algorithms, and UI/UX designs, Dr. Bronson spent four months studying past data and figuring out different ways of scheduling. The next ten months were spent building the basic solution infrastructure, laying a foundation for the algorithms, and then optimizing said algorithms.

Case Scheduling with AnesthesiaGo

The solution born from all of this work, AnesthesiaGo, has four main goals:

Be Faster: Save hours (or even days) each week by cutting time required for schedule creation.
Use Automation: Leverage technology to reduce administrative burden.
Reduce Human Error: Minimize double-bookings, scheduling someone at a location for which they’re not credentialed, not leaving enough time for travel between locations, etc.
Improve Efficiency: Find a better way to create daily case schedules.

To put it simply, AnesthesiaGo aligns the best anesthesia provider to the best case schedule, promotes efficiencies and transparency for all surgical staff, and helps prevent delayed or canceled cases associated with less optimal—but still very common—manual scheduling methods.

The proof is in the pudding, too. AnesthesiaGo customers can now auto-generate and deliver a daily case schedule in just 12 minutes on average, which is down by 44 minutes versus traditional manual scheduling methods. That’s almost an 80% improvement!

And taking it a step further, AnesthesiaGo also leans heavily into provider wellness by supporting the concept of teaming (sometimes called “best matches”). For a variety of reasons, it’s common for anesthesiologists and surgeons to have well-defined preferences about who they work with during a procedure, and AnesthesiaGo will pair these optimal teams as frequently as possible. It sounds pretty simple on its face, but by including this functionality, AnesthesiaGo helps to improve provider satisfaction and wellness while facilitating continuity of care.

Anesthesiologist and Medical Providers with a Checkmark

In an interview with AIMed, Dr. Bronson noted that anesthesiologists often deal with life-threatening, traumatic events. But despite the high stakes of their clinical duties, “the most stressful part [of our jobs] is not about saving lives, but handling the paperwork that needs to be completed in the shortest possible time.”

AnesthesiaGo can make that stressful paperwork a thing of the past. Learn more about our Case Scheduling for Anesthesia Staff, or fill out the form below if you’d like a member of our team to contact you for a demo.

Schedule a Demo

Nurses of Note Awards 2021: Week Four

PerfectServe’s Nurses of Note awards program focuses on the many nurses who deserve recognition for the dedication, sacrifice, and resilience they bring to work every day. For the inaugural Nurses of Note Awards, we have the privilege of highlighting a new level of commitment, strength, and integrity in nurses from around the country who have battled on the front lines of the still-raging coronavirus pandemic.

The actions of this diverse group of nurses highlight the extraordinary among us. Their stories give us a glimpse into the unique ways our nurses have fought this pandemic and made a difference in the lives of their patients and the communities they serve. Out of hundreds of nominations, we selected three nurses and one team of providers to spotlight as recipients of this award.

Honoree 4: Chief Operating Officer Erica Johnson and the COVID-19 Vaccination Nursing Team, Hampton Roads Community Health Center (Portsmouth, VA)

Erica Johnson and her team at the Hampton Roads Community Health Center (HRCHC) are not just nurses—they are educators, community liaisons, and friends to the people of Portsmouth, VA. This team of five nurses, dubbed the COVID-19 Vaccination Nursing Team, worked with unwavering resolve to serve the underserved throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their names are Nicol Franklin, LPN; Daira Person, MA; Lawona Smith, RN, BSN; and Shaye Spellman, LPN. As Chief Operating Officer, Erica (who has been with HRCHC for 14 years) is the spokesperson for the team and shared how the facility had to adapt to continue providing the quality care they always strive for.

HRCHC is a federally funded, non-profit care center. Erica and her team serve an underserved population and pride themselves on being a “one-stop-shop” for “cradle to grave” care for those who would not normally have routine, accessible healthcare resources. As early as March 2020, the HRCHC was one of the first testing sites in the area for COVID-19. Dr. Vladimir Markovic, HRCHC’s Chief Medical Officer, implemented the COVID-19 Vaccination Nursing Team, and Erica led the team through 11- to 12-hour shifts, sometimes five to six days a week. The team updated their COVID-19 policies every weekend, adjusting to keep pace with the rapid flow of information and new understanding about the virus.

As a community health center, HRCHC couldn’t afford to stop primary and general care—the needs of the community didn’t cease to exist simply because COVID-19 was around. Erica and her team were able to continue seeing regular patients thanks to their rigorous attention to detail with infection control best practices. They were able to screen people and see regular patients as well as provide triage care over the phone. Amazingly, they had no in-house COVID infections thanks to their diligence.

As soon as the vaccine became available, HRCHC was one of the first vaccination locations in the area. But, as you might expect, they didn’t stop at just vaccinating those who came to their center—they also provided transportation to the clinic. They carried out community outreach and education about vaccination for those who were scared or nervous. Erica and her team acted as community liaisons, taking federal updates and translating them to make them more digestible for the people they serve. Erica’s team prioritized their outreach to the most vulnerable, striving to educate and encourage conversations about vaccination to alleviate hesitancy among their patients.

The Hampton Roads Community Health Center’s nominator wrote this about Erica and her team: “The due diligence and resiliency of HRCHC’s COVID-19 nursing team are undeniable, as they continue to be a living embodiment of our mission: serving as frontline, healthcare safety net professionals, delivering much-needed, accessible, quality healthcare to tens of thousands throughout the Hampton Roads region.”

What is one positive thing you and your team learned from COVID-19?

The team learned the value of talking and listening to people; in a pandemic, every vulnerability, every concern—everything was heightened. Heightened apprehension, depression, and anxiety. It made every word that everyone said potentially critical. We also learned that creating a learning environment is important. We realized that nobody knows anything when we’re supposed to know everything!

What was your team’s outreach strategy to encourage vaccination?

The most significant thing we’re doing is asking, “Why?” Everyone has their own reason for being skeptical. We approached the vaccines from an unbiased point of view and encouraged conversations around it. Once we talked to people about the vaccine and why it works in general terms, then we’d ask, “So do you want the vaccine?”

If you had to think of a word to describe the work your team has done during the pandemic, what would your work be?

Relentless … resilient. There have been so many challenges and barriers where we could have stopped. But for so many people, we are the only healthcare outlet they have. We couldn’t stop. We had to persevere.

What is your advice for new nurses coming into the field?

Do not expect anything particular; appreciate everything that happens, even the challenges. There’s no facet of healthcare that can’t utilize nursing in some capacity. Be open to different experiences. All of your patients are important, everyone is valuable, and everyone has something that makes them unique. Even COVID has made us stronger providers and practitioners of caring and healing. Always focus on the healing component of nursing.

Thank you, Erica, and the COVID-19 Vaccination Nursing Team at Hampton Roads Community Health Center!

Erica, your team’s service to the Portsmouth community has been impressive, honorable, and inspiring. Thank you for your dedication to underserved communities and for leading a relentless and resilient team!

Read the Full Winners List

Nurses of Note Awards 2021: Week Three

Honoree 3: Missam “Sam” Merchant, MBA, BSN, RN, CCRN, PCCN, RN-BC, NE-BC; Hospital Supervisor for University Health System (San Antonio, TX)

Missam Merchant—who goes by Sam—wanted to be a doctor at a young age. His family could not afford that educational path, but Sam still found his way to a career in healthcare; nurses were needed in the United States, so his family agreed that nursing school would be his best bet. In school, he realized he could change the world by helping one person at a time, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Sam’s nominator described him as someone who shows humanity to every patient regardless of identity or background. He started to appreciate the impact he could have on the lives of others after providing care for a homeless man facing diabetic complications during nursing school. Since that moment, Sam has been utterly dedicated to helping his community and those who are underserved. In the past two years, he spearheaded many campaigns and fundraisers that provided donations for the homeless. He has conducted fundraising to the tune of more than $16,000 for blankets, hygiene kits, and more to support the homeless population and many shelters in San Antonio.

Even though it’s not what drives him, Sam is no stranger to recognition for the services he provides to his patients and coworkers—he has received many awards for his work. To name a few: The Weezie’s Angel Healthcare Hero Award, Best 25 Nurses of South Central Texas, and the 20 for 2020 Nurse Award (given by the Texas Nursing Association). As a leader, speaker, coach, and mentor, Sam is also a major proponent of higher learning and continued education.

Even with the challenges presented by the COVID pandemic, Sam was still able to help launch the San Antonio Indian Nurses Association (SAINA), a not-for-profit organization with over 300 nurse members intended to serve as “a professional body and resource for all licensed professional nurses of Indian descent/origin and heritage” in the United States. In fact, in the past year alone, he has given speeches, served as a mentor, submitted journals for publication, and founded not one, but two organizations. He also works to give free certifications to nurses in leadership and professional development (he’s taught 17 classes this year), equipping them with the training needed to move the needle on healthcare and education policy at the county and state levels.

A true advocate for diversity in nursing, education, and leadership, Sam is active in many diversity-centered associations and boards. He serves as president for SAINA, director for the Asian American Alliance of San Antonio (AAASA), is a member of the governing board for the National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA), and is involved with many others. Sam provides safe and educational forums for nurses to collaborate on practices and how to best serve their communities.

What inspired you to become a nurse?

Nursing fell into my lap in India in 2003. I had a light bulb moment when I took care of a homeless patient who suffered from severe diabetes and had not received foot care for a year. I treated this patient, and at the end of the procedure, he gave me 10 rupees—the equivalent of about 14 cents. I realized how much impact I had on this one patient, who felt cared for and loved and was willing to give me his most valuable possession in return. 15 years later, I am proud and humbled to be a nurse who can continue to make a difference in patients’ lives.

What’s one piece of advice for nursing students entering the field?

Right from the beginning of your career, find a mentor who you can trust. The mentor will help you see things that you cannot see for yourself and will help to motivate you through feelings of burnout. Nursing is not easy; it requires ongoing learning, hard work, commitment, and selfless service.

What would you like to see change for nursing in the future?

The future of nursing is bright. Nurses are fighting for safe staffing, better access to care, and a healthy environment—both for themselves and for their patients. I want to see two things in the future of nursing: greater diversity and leadership. Diversity, equity, and leadership in nursing is the key to sustainability. The ability to compassionately care for our communities is the wave of the future.

How do you combat burnout in your professional life?

Burnout is real, but it’s seldom addressed by leadership and often ignored by nurses themselves. It then manifests itself in poor care, poor relationships, and broken homes. There are three levels to curbing personal and group burnout: Organization, microsystem, and personal. The organization level is a commitment from senior management to acknowledge burnout and put prevention measures in place. The microsystem level focuses on your team and team leader understanding workflow as a whole—how that workflow can lead to burnout when not managed well or when things are not adjusted when needed. This level can be managed by staffing correctly, promoting teamwork, creating acuity plans, and other leadership and organizational work. The personal level is an inward look at being mindful of when we are feeling burnout. Know the signs your body gives, know how to take mental health breaks, and know how to separate work and home life.

What’s your passion outside of nursing?

Working for non-profit organizations and impacting lives. I have been involved with various non-nursing organizations that are involved in early childhood education, alliance for minorities, and others. These organizations have made a big impact on my community.

If you had to pick one song that describes you as a nurse, what would it be?

“Firework” by Katy Perry. I am a nurse that believes in empowerment; inspiring the next generation of nurses to not give up and to push through to make a difference. Everyone is unique, and everyone needs to be able to shine in nursing and life.

Thank you, Sam!

Sam, through your commitment and dedication, you certainly light up other peoples’ lives—just like a firework. Thank you for your continued service to your patients, your fellow nurses, and your community, and congratulations for being named a 2021 Nurse of Note.

Read the Full Winners List