Beth's leadership success is based on steadfast maintenance of an open door policy, promoting teamwork and excellence. Beth challenges us to consider evidence-based practice and patient outcomes.
Beth's leadership proved especially important during a recent change in our ICU hemodialysis protocol. The dialysis RNs were not comfortable monitoring critically ill, hemodynamically unstable patients, and the ICU RNs had no experience in managing patients receiving hemodialysis. Patients on hemodialysis had two RNs, with neither seeing the entire clinical picture. Beth introduced an innovative concept that involved education and competencies for ICU RNs so they could monitor their ICU patients on dialysis. Beth identified our strengths and encouraged us. She met with the staff to hear our concerns and anxieties. Through it all, Beth empowered us so that we could control this process and make it our own.
Beth was instrumental in our Magnet certification. She was a chapter leader of the CV service line and remains the administrative liaison to the Nurse Practice Council. Beth encourages us to attend conferences and share our experiences with the staff. Last year, she approved five nurses' attendance at our regional AACN conference. Beth promotes certification and supports all initiatives to increase certification recognition and pay differentials. Beth's leadership of our open heart surgery (OHS) diabetes program reduced our diabetic OHS infection rate from over 8% to 2%.
A hallmark of a great leader is the empowerment conveyed to the staff. Promoting a culture of excellence allows us to constantly strive to be our best and provide the best possible patient care. Beth's leadership is an example to us all. Through her encouragement and support, excellence has not only been achieved, it is evident in all that we do.
