Our nursing leadership has focused heavily this year in continuing to fine tune the practice of nursing through professional development and education. The addition of a clinical educator has been a catalyst to align the development needs of nurses and enhancement of skills with the growth of the organizationлЊs service lines. Renewed focus on prioritizing high-risk and low-frequency skills learning through hands-on education and skills fairs will be an ongoing project facilitated by this clinical role.
Professional growth through certification in clinical specialty organizations areas is highly encouraged at West Valley Medical Center. In the past year, weлЊve had a number of nurses working toward and become certified in their area of practice in OB, med-surg, critical care, emergency and surgical services. West Valley supports nurses in certification through reimbursement of testing fees and professional bonuses for certification, as well as study materials and groups. We are proud of the professional nurses at West Valley, and we hope you will continue to partner with us to mentor, teach and develop them at bedside as you partner with them to care for your patients.
The DAISY Award
IлЊve often considered what it means to be a nurse. There are few vocations with the ability to add so much value to human life in times of joy, sadness, suffering, celebration and mourning. Nursing by the most literal of definitions is to foster, attend, look after, care for. It takes a special person to bring compassion, empathy, caring, love and healing to those who need us most. I am humbled by the amazing work that happens at West Valley Medical Center every day and the dedication to our patients, our organization, our community and each other!
As another way to recognize the amazing care provided by nurses at West Valley, the DAISY award was rolled out this past year. Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians and employees may nominate a deserving nurse for the DAISY Award. The DAISY Award is a nationwide program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day and was created honor to the super-human work nurses do for patients and families. To date, West Valley has honored four nurses with this award and had many more nominations. Here are excerpts from the nominations of our DAISY recipients:
August 2015: Rachelle Friesen, RN, Emergency Department
Rachelle has been with my family numerous times, every time she has been with us, she has been kind, knowledgeable and extremely helpful. She has gone above and beyond to make sure we are comfortable, and she is patient when my dad can't speak well to answer questions. She is the best nurse we've ever had at West Valley. We took my dad in after he fell, while sitting in the waiting area I was right across from Rachelle. She was amazing how she helped everyone that came thru the door.
October 2015: Morgan Shepard, RN, Pre-Op
Morgan explained to my husband what was going to happen and assured him that she would show him where he could wait instead of just saying "follow the signs." She kept us updated on the timeline with the doctor and everyone that was going to be helping along the way. After surgery, she was right there, assuring me of the next steps. She wheeled us out and took the time that we both needed to feel comfortable.
With nurses like Morgan, I would rate WVMC with a 10+. She exemplifies the "patient first" philosophy of the hospital. She went above and beyond to be helpful, pleasant, and set an example that everyone should be proud to follow
December 2015: Melissa Lavis, RN, Ortho/Spine
Melissa went above and beyond in everything she did. She always had suggestions and things to make my stay a comfortable one. Her bedside manner was extremely wonderful. She always had a smile on her face and a kind word each time we spoke. I will never forget the great care I received from this wonderful nurse.
March 2016: Teresa Gustin, RN, Family Maternity Center
We were trying to decide between the small, community hospital and the larger, regional hospital. Teresa had us convinced that WVMC was the hospital for us after the tour, and we were fortunate enough to have her as our nurse when our daughter was born. Her attention to detail and bedside care were phenomenal. I had a very detailed birth plan and she had an incredible way of balancing my desires with what was necessary for the safe arrival of our daughter and worked perfectly in tune with our doctor. She kept us calm and in the moment when labor was overwhelming, and she celebrated our birth with tears in her eyes. She became a family member while we were there. The genuine care and love that she poured into our stay made our first hospital birth an incredible experience for us. We have raved many times about WVMC and the care that Teresa provided us.
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