Kelsey Davidson
B.S.N., RN
Interim Nurse Manager
7 Blue MSICU

From her nominator: Kelsey was caring for a patient who was given only a few days to live. This patient was a front-line service member, and the patient’s co-workers wanted to honor them with a special event as a tribute to their loved one. Kelsey collaborated with multiple departments throughout the hospital to make this dream a reality. On the day the event was scheduled, she was able to ensure that the patient could witness this show of respect. The patient and family were thrilled, and despite the tough times they were going through, they were able to see the patient smile one more time. (Please note that this quote was modified slightly to remove patient and family privacy information.)

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Kaitlyn Dupriest
B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Critical Care
3 Orange, NSICU

From her nominator: “This nurse has passionately cared for critical care patients with her whole heart while representing the nursing profession in a pristine manner. One morning, Kaitlyn recognized her patient was becoming increasingly anxious. The patient had been on our department floor for a couple of weeks, and Kaitlyn knew she had a couple more weeks to go before transferring out of our intensive care unit. She collaborated with the patient’s multidisciplinary team and organized a daily trip outside for the patient to get fresh air. Kaitlyn saw the immediate impact this gesture had on the patient’s well-being. During their daily trips outside, Kaitlyn discovered they both enjoyed the taste of Dr Pepper, so she would purchase a couple Dr Peppers for them to enjoy outside. This nurse was recognized by this patient and their family for her compassionate and therapeutic ideas. The patient recovered from their diagnosis and still periodically reaches out to our department with gratitude and commendation to the nursing staff, in particular regards to [Kaitlyn].”

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Allene Goetz
M.B.A., M.S.N., ACNS-BC
Advanced Practice RN
Neurology

From her nominator: “Allene exemplifies all UT Southwestern standards. She is well-respected by her colleagues and her patients. [Excerpting from some of the comments about her from UTSW patients] ‘Allene Goetz is one of the finest nurses I have been treated by. She is extremely kind, empathic, and professional. She listens to issues with care, explains treatment options well, and exceeds all expectations of one’s needs. She is simply outstanding! She represents UTSW in the most professional, caring manner.’ Allene is a valuable member of our team. She routinely will assist the nurses with patient calls and messages despite having a very busy clinic. She ALWAYS helps us with the in-basket and is always available for questions. … Her hard work makes a HUGE difference.”

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Anlan Jiang
B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Critical Care, SICU
2 Orange

From her nominator: “Anlan takes what she finds difficult and creates ways to make things simpler for others. Anlan not only provides safe, evidence-based patient care, but she also looks for ways to improve current nursing practices … and promote nurse satisfaction. In addition, Anlan also helps with nursing recruitment. She is a founder of the Asian American Student Nursing Association at her alma mater, UT Arlington. Over the years, Anlan has spoken multiple times to the nursing students there about her experiences working at UT Southwestern as a new grad in critical care. Many of the students have been inspired to apply and are now working at UT Southwestern on her floor because of this.”

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Brooke McCartney
B.S.N., RN, MSCS
Ambulatory Nurse Supervisor
Neurology Clinic

From her nominator: “As one of our ambulatory nursing supervisors, Brooke’s role is to oversee a triage nurses and floor staff. However, she will frequently get involved with triaging patients and assisting her team. There was a situation where Brooke assisted a patient who was having an exacerbation of their neurologic condition. The patient has neuromyelitis optica, a rare neurologic condition that can lead to blindness or paralysis. Brooke graciously agreed to speak to the patient, who was very nervous about vision changes that had started late on a Friday afternoon. She collected the pertinent information from the patient and communicated the patient’s concerns to the provider. Brooke then worked with the Pharmacy team to get the patient started on steroids the same day. She could have easily handed the call off to one of the triage nurses or she could have advised the patient to go to the Emergency Department (ED). But instead she opted to help the patient, providing compassion and empathy, and helping to prevent an unnecessary trip to the ED. This truly shows that Brooke is dedicated to providing high-quality care to her patients.”

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Lisa M. Smith
B.S.N., RN, CCRN
Assistant Nurse Manager
CNeurosurgical Intensive Care Unit

From her nominator: “Lisa’s enthusiasm and positivity are contagious. … The most amazing thing about Lisa is her nurturing attitude when caring for her patients. One example of Lisa’s awe-inspiring care occurred at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lisa was caring for a patient who had recently given birth before being admitted to intensive care for a serious neurological condition. The patient was struggling considerably to cope with her new diagnosis, and Lisa could sense her fear of the unknown. The patient’s situation was made even more challenging due to changes to the visitor policy. In order to reduce the risk and potential for exposure, the patient was separated from not only her family but her newborn baby. The patient ultimately required surgery, increasing her mortality risk tenfold. The stress and fear of the upcoming procedure were evident in the response of the patient and the patient’s family. As a bedside caregiver, Lisa grappled with ensuring safe care and meeting the emotional needs of the patient. Lisa sympathized with the patient’s deep desire to hold her baby and see her family before her procedure; Lisa acted! She made it her mission to make sure the patient had the opportunity to hold her daughter one more time before surgery. … Several weeks later, Lisa received a letter from this patient, expressing her gratitude for going above and beyond to ensure her physical and emotional needs were met. The letter included a picture of the family – all healthy, healing, and happy.”