Sarah Cazenave is a BSN, RN, and CCRN who works in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Children’s Hospital New Orleans (CHNOLA). She takes care of the most critical cardiac patients at the hospital. Her cousin, Brooks, was born with only half of a functioning heart and had to undergo a staged surgical plan of 3 surgeries at CHNOLA. The care he received inspired Cazenave to become a Cardiac ICU nurse at the same hospital.
Cazenave says Brooks and the care he received inspired her to become a Cardiac ICU nurse at the same hospital that cared for her cousin. “I am so fortunate to work with many amazing individuals who cared for Brooks while he was in the hospital. It is a challenging but rewarding specialty.”
Cazenave shares what it was like visiting Brooks while he was receiving care.
“Upon entering the unit, a staff member immediately barks at me to wash my hands and then escorts me to his hospital room. My aunt, a nurse herself, is sitting at the bedside. We quietly talk about my cousin’s progress as he rests comfortably in the bed,” she says.
She recalls glancing at all the pumps, lines, and chest tubes while maintaining her distance a few feet away. She doesn’t want to wake Brooks up and recalls the complexity of the scene, making her feel nervous.
“I am scared to touch anything for fear of messing it up. After twenty minutes, I hugged my aunt goodbye and hastily left the unit. I feel relieved when I leave the hospital. Children are supposed to be running around and playing with toys at this age, not hooked up to numerous monitors and lines in a hospital bed. The whole experience feels foreign to me,” she adds.
Cazenave’s cousin Brooks, now eight years old, was born with Uhl’s Anomaly, tricuspid atresia, and pulmonary atresia. He received four open heart surgeries at Children’s Hospital before the age of four, with his latest being the Fontan in 2018. He is now a happy and healthy eight-year-old who enjoys playing with Pokemon, jumping on the trampoline, and having pillow fights.
Fast forward five years later. Cazenave now works with the most critical cardiac patients at Children’s Hospital in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
Cazenave cherishes the privilege of watching Brooks grow up and is grateful for the care he received at Children’s Hospital. Brooks inspired her to become a Cardiac ICU nurse, and she is proud to work with the same amazing individuals who cared for him while he was in the hospital.
“Now, when I enter the unit, it doesn’t feel foreign to me, but rather like home.”
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
Robyn Morgan, Ariana Stemple, and Cori Holloway became friends working together at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado. These friends are bonded for life after a shopping trip at Murdoch’s in Grand Junction this past September.
Morgan, leader of medical imaging at Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver, wasn’t feeling well shopping, and before she knew it, she was on the ground unconscious. Holloway and Stemple, both cardiac nurses, rushed over instinctively, performing CPR.
Daily Nurse proudly names Ariana Stemple and Cori Holloway the Nurses of the Week. Their swift reaction to Morgan’s medical emergency saved her life.
“Every minute that a patient in cardiac arrest goes without getting CPR, their chances of survival decrease by about 10% every minute. So having bystanders out in the community performing that CPR to get patients to the hospital is the only way to improve survival and outcomes,” says Jamie Hogan, chest pain coordinator at Saint Joseph Hospital.
Morgan says she wasn’t feeling well and was looking for a place to sit down. And that’s her last memory of what happened.
Morgan had no pulse, and both nurses had never performed CPR outside of the hospital, so the first time they performed CPR, it was on their friend.
That was something Morgan had long teased them about.
They jumped into action. And it paid off. CPR kept Morgan alive until EMS arrived to take her to the hospital. Both Holloway and Stemple said they were relieved they were close by when it happened so they could help.
“It’s interesting that I’ve given them a hard time for that for so long, and then the first time they do CPR is on me,” Morgan says.
After getting to the hospital, Morgan learned that she had gone into cardiac arrest and suffered a skull fracture when she fell and hit her head. The three nurses save lives every day at her work, but Morgan never expected her own life would need saving.
The actions of Stemple and Holloway forged their friendship into a permanent lifelong bond.
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
Valentina Obreja has dedicated her career to improving care for ICU patients at UCLA Health.
“Never give up” are three words that have defined much of Obreja’s adult life. It’s what she told herself when she and her husband left Romania in 2006 with little more than four pieces of luggage and a dream to start a new life in the U.S.
It’s what she told herself while bagging groceries at a supermarket as she awaited approval to take her nursing licensure exam. It was also her dedication message in her doctoral dissertationat UCLA School of Nursing in 2021, and it’s what she tells her patients in the intensive care unit every day.
Valentina Obreja, DNP, AG/AC, NP-BC, a clinical nurse in the Cardiothoracic ICU at UCLA Health, has been named Nurse of the Week by Daily Nurse. Obreja has dedicated her career to improving the care of ICU patients receiving Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for the past 17 years.
ECMO is essentially a heart/lung bypass machine that takes over the work of the patient’s heart and lungs, giving the native organs time to heal. This complex medical equipment, combined with therapy, offers a lifeline to critically ill patients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, ECMO was used to support some patients with COVID-19 infection, whereas it was primarily used during open-heart surgery or as supportive therapy for patients awaiting lung or heart transplants.
Dr. Obreja Finds Fulfillment
For Dr. Obreja, working with such patients is not just a career – it’s a calling. Although she graduated from medical school and had an established career as a physician in Romania, she says nursing is where she has found fulfillment.
“It’s the most generous and gratifying profession ever,” she says. “I think it’s the connection with the patient – with a human and human nature – and the complexity of the role when you’re in the middle of the chaos trying to align all the factors in the ICU environment.”
Soon after passing her nursing boards, Dr. Obreja interviewed for a position at UCLA Health, where she started in the medical observation unit. With the expansion of the ICU to 24 beds, she transferred to her current position.
Living under communism in Romania meant her career opportunities there were limited, she says. It was her dream to work at UCLA Health.
“I always wanted to have the experience of working and doing my profession in an intense environment, and then to be surrounded with people interested in research and approaching very complex cases.”
In the U.S., she has earned both a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in nursing practice at UCLA School of Nursing. She also achieved national certification at the Fuld National Institute for Evidence-based Practice at Ohio State University School of Nursing, which she says helped ground her in the fundamentals of delivering care that incorporates current scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient/family preference.
Putting Knowledge into Practice
As part of Dr. Obreja’s doctoral studies, she worked on a project to safely mobilize ECMO patients, many of whom were physically debilitated. Using her knowledge of evidence-based practice, she turned to the literature, created the protocol, and began implementing the project in her unit.
“It was perfect timing,” she says. “It was in the midst of the craziness of the pandemic, working extra shifts and working at the bedside with all that protective equipment. I think the combination kept me focused outside of work, pushed me forward, and motivated me to make it to the end.”
But that wasn’t the end.
Another project soon materialized, prompting Dr. Obreja to look critically at their practice of dressing changes on ECMO patients. Next, she worked with the ECMO coordinator, critical nurse specialists, leadership, and the nursing team to implement guidelines for caring for ECMO patients.
“It was one project after another, and at some point, that helped the ECMO program to consolidate and get better,” she notes. “It’s essentially new knowledge, analyzing all the ECMO results. We need to know beyond stories and successes what it is exactly. ECMO is an expensive technology, and it’s not suitable for everybody. Trying to get better in this is the work that we are currently doing.”
Dr. Obreja Recognized by Scientific COmmunity
Meanwhile, the mobility protocol was presented at an international conference, “which meant for me endorsement from the scientific community,” she says. Another endorsement soon followed; last year, she was one of 30 nurses – 10 from UCLA Heath – to be honored by the Simms/Mann Family Foundation’s Off the Chart program, which recognizes nurses for outstanding care.
By the program’s design, recipients embody “a bias toward action, capacity for self-direction, originality and creative instincts, courageous and bold thinking, and the potential to achieve even more.”
The honor surprised Dr. Obreja, as was the $10,000 award that came with it.
“Looking back, I feel like nursing is my passion, so I don’t feel like I worked for it,” she says. “It was a super surprise, but I’m proud of this award. It’s inspiring, reassuring me that I’m doing what I’m doing well.”
Embracing Discomfort
Dr. Obreja has found stepping outside her comfort zone in certain situations means accepting a challenge. That was her experience when she left Romania.
“Everybody recognizes that the first year of being an immigrant is the toughest,” she says. “It’s a cultural shock. It’s not having your friends and family for support. And I very much remember that what I missed the most was the rain. Somebody told me, ‘Oh, this is homesickness.’ But we were determined to make it.”
She shared some stories of discomfort with students at UCLA School of Nursing, where she was a lecturer.
“It helps me to connect with the students,” she says. “They are scared about the program, deadlines, and requirements. So, I keep telling them that being uncomfortable is normal, like gaining a new skill, which, with hard work, will grow. I want to give them the confidence from the beginning that they made a great choice, whatever their interest will bring them in the future.”
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
Communities across the midwest feel the impact of recent snowfall and below-zero temperatures, but that weather didn’t stop Iowa hospice nurse Tiffany McArdle.
McArdle, a hospice nurse for St. Croix Hospice, says that in her seven years of working as a hospice nurse, she never imagined she would be walking through a blizzard to reach a patient, but never doubted she would find a way to make it to the family in need.
“I walked through a lot of snow to get to the door,” McArdle says. “Got to the door, and the wife answered, and she started crying.”
They shared an emotional moment, made possible by McArdle’s determination to reach her patient.
“A patient’s wife had called in saying that her husband had had a change in condition,” McArdle says. “We were experiencing a blizzard at the same time.”
Still, McArdle said she knew she had to get to the house.
“I knew they lived alone,” McArdle says. “No, no other family nearby. They were in the countryside, so I knew I needed to get there. You get very close to these families and the patients, and we go to wherever our patients call home. That’s where we go.”
The patient’s house was situated off a gravel road atop a hill. “I got out of my car and walked up to see how bad it was,” McArdle says. “I could see the house from the hill and knew I couldn’t make it.”
McArdle says she called a friend with a truck who drove her to the end of the family’s driveway, but with snow still falling and a drifted-over driveway. McArdle had to make a quick decision.
“We found a spot through the yard that was not as much snow,” McArdle says.
She walked the rest of the way to the front door.
McArdle says walking through the snow and the drifts were so bad. “The snow was up to my knees, walking through it to get to her door.”
McArdle says it took her nearly an hour to reach the house after the call came through. It was shocking to her patient’s wife when she arrived.
“She was very overwhelmed with everything that was going on,” McArdle said. “She didn’t think anybody would be able to make it to her.”
After ensuring her patient was comfortable, McArdle said she called the Page County Sheriff’s Department.
“I realized we need to get a plow on this road just in case the funeral home was going to have to make it,” McArdle says. “And I wanted her kids to be able to be with her as well at this time.”
McArdle says the sheriff and the county’s plow had cleared the family’s road and driveway within an hour.
Daily Nurse proudly names hospice nurse Tiffany McArdle as the Nurse of the Week. McArdle showed great strength and determination during extreme conditions and displayed unwavering dedication to providing compassionate care to her patients.
McArdle says it was just a very heartwarming experience. “It was a very emotional experience. I mean, I was very proud. And to represent St. Croix Hospice like that, you know, meant the world.”
McArdle is thankful for the help of the sheriff’s office and the county plow to let her patient’s family say their final goodbyes in person.
“The patient’s wife didn’t have to say anything,” McArdle says. “I felt it. She was happy we could be there, and getting him comfortable meant the world to her.”
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
Oncology nurses at the John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) in Hackensack, NJ, are making a difference in the lives of cancer patients.
Margaret Hopkins, RN, is one of those nurses, and she feels blessed every day to be a part of such a fantastic team. As a cancer survivor herself, Hopkins has been on both sides of cancer treatment and knows the magic of the work at JTCC. In her decades of nursing, she’s never felt more appreciated for her work.
So Hopkins submitted JTCC for the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) 2024 Outstanding Employer Award. And just in time for the holidays – JTCC received word that it was a winner. It was a true gift for the oncology nurses who give their time and talents to help cancer patients every day.
The ONS 2024 Outstanding Employer Award recognizes employers who support their oncology nurses. The honor further distinguishes JTCC as a place where innovative technology, individualized, advanced treatment, and outstanding, caring staff members save lives. At a time when medical facilities are facing nursing shortages, this award shows these oncology nurses believe JTCC is a great place to work.
Daily Nurse is proud to name the oncology nurses at the John Theurer Cancer Center in Hackensack, NJ, as the Nurses of the Week for being among the best in the nation, working to ensure optimal patient outcomes with compassion, competence, and strength the nursing profession is renowned for.
“I am proud to be here. I know I can continue to learn and grow. I feel at home,” Hopkins adds.
These nurses believe that the JTCC is an excellent place to work, especially at a time when medical facilities are facing nursing shortages.
“We welcome nurses from all experiential backgrounds to work with us. The fundamental desire to support our patients through the fight of their lives is what makes a good candidate for these positions at JTCC,” says Linda Casey, MHA, BSN, RN, OCN, NE-BC, Director of Nursing Operations at JTCC.
The support and appreciation these nurses receive at JTCC are second to none, from the extensive orientation program, encouragement to receive additional certifications, an open-door policy exhibited by the leadership team, and an annual day celebrating their nationally certified nurses.
It’s no surprise that the JTCC joins the ranks of outstanding institutions and past recipients, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. The recognition shows that JTCC’s compassionate nurses like Hopkins feel as appreciated for their work as their patients feel cared for.
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
The Lawrence sisters defied the odds, pursuing their goal of becoming nurses together after a decade of homelessness.
All six Lawrence siblings, Alecsandria, Danielle, Dominique, Gabriella, Lauren, and Nathalia, believe that what they experienced inspired their passion for helping others.
Their family’s ordeal began eleven years ago, in 2013 when their parents lost their Rosedale, New York home.
Despite facing challenging circumstances, they didn’t didn’t let go of their dreams. Instead, the Lawrence siblings found a passion for helping others, and they say it’s because of what they’ve lived through.
The Lawrence sisters are nothing short of inspiring. They put themselves through college and are working hard to achieve their dreams of becoming nurses. And now, Daily Nurse is proud to honor the Lawrence sisters as the Nurses of the Week.
Throughout their ordeal, which forced them to move every few months, the sisters say their father told them that he didn’t want their situation to interfere with their education.
The Lawrence sisters earned their GEDs in 2019 and then attended Nassau Community College on Long Island. After graduating two years later, they enrolled in SUNY Old Westbury and received degrees in public health this past May.
Each sibling, now 19 to 25 years old, admits they are just getting started and are currently working on their Master’s Degrees in Public Health at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and intend to head to nursing school.
The Lawrence sisters say their unbreakable bond has sustained them through immense challenges. Now, they aim to complete nursing degrees and find work serving others in their community.
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
