Porter Regional Hospital Team earns Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing

Porter Regional Hospital Team earns Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nursing

Porter Regional Hospital announced that its Cardiac Cath Lab PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) Line Team was awarded the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses on May 14. Team members are nurses Gail Mannington, Aaron Strickler, Kyle Sorenson, and Mike Novak.

They were nominated by a colleague and fellow nurse, Elizabeth Karas, a Charge Nurse on the hospital’s Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU). Karas’ nomination included the following:

"These highly competent professionals display all the characteristics necessary to earn an award of this nature. Their commitment to the well-being of our patients, their many years of clinical expertise, and their deep devotion to compassionate care are demonstrated every time they assist with IV placement or PICC Line insertion. They display these same traits in their daily duties while caring for patients in the Cardiac Cath Lab.

In the Intermediate Care Unit we often care for high acuity patients who require intravenous cardiac drips and other medications in order to stabilize their conditions. The patient’s IV serves as their lifeline and it is vital that they have a functioning site at all times during their hospital stay.

When we call upon the team, they invariably respond in the most rapid manner possible. They always treat our staff members with respect and professional courtesy.

All the members of the team have certain strengths which are worth noting. For instance, Gail Mannington possesses a sunny optimism and unshakeable confidence which invariably sets a patient’s mind at ease. Her bedside manner exhibits care and deep compassion. One can easily tell how much satisfaction Gail derives from helping other people. She instinctively knows how to connect with patients on a personal level. This helps them feel less anxious, and consequently the procedure becomes easier.

Kyle Sorenson always responds quickly when help is requested. On numerous occasions he has come up to our floor immediately when problems have arisen with a patient regarding urgent IV access. In one instance, we had a patient whose condition was deteriorating due to a cardiac arrhythmia. Within a few minutes, Kyle arrived to help. In short order, he was able to get the IV access inserted and soon the patient was stabilized. His professional and steady demeanor helped everyone in the situation to maintain an even keel.

I have known Aaron Strickler for several decades and have always had a deep respect for him and the work he does. His helpful nature and understanding of the Intermediate Care Unit allows him to assist us in a variety of ways. His kindness to the patients and to our staff members is greatly appreciated. His experience has been extremely valuable when complicated procedures have presented us with challenges. Aaron is always willing to share his wealth of knowledge regarding these particular patients. This helps us to do a better job taking care of them, which invariably leads to better outcomes.

Mike Novak has the ability to put people at ease with his subtle sense of humor. He often shows up near the end of a long and difficult shift to make sure that one of our patients has IV access. One night I recall him arriving with Kyle to insert a PICC Line into a patient in need. Mike and Kyle showed up just in time to accomplish this important task for us. They got home much later than usual that evening. But, our patient got her IV. This demonstrates commitment to the overall patient experience. Mike’s calm and unassuming manner is very comforting to the patients and staff.

These talented individuals also serve as role models for new nurses learning about the delivery of high quality care in our organization. One cannot underestimate the importance which is attached to the example they set on a daily basis. Maintaining a calm demeanor (even in the midst of an unfolding crisis) is something which is continually observed when these professionals are on the job. As a Charge Nurse for IMCU I am responsible for seeing that patients receive the care they need in order to have the best possible outcome. I have been doing this type of work for nearly forty years and the professionals discussed in this nomination are the type of people who make me extremely proud to be part of the nursing profession."

The DAISY Award was established to celebrate the extraordinary compassion nurses provide their patients and families every day.  Nurses may be nominated by employees, patients, and hospital visitors. To nominate a Porter nurse visit https://www.porterhealth.com/daisy-award-nominations

To find career opportunities at Porter Health Care System visit: https://www.porterhealth.com/career-opportunities