To be a successful nurse leader in the ICU requires almost superhuman levels of emotional intelligence, clinical acumen and creative problem-solving ability. Christina, who works at USC Norris Cancer Hospital, displays all those qualities and more on every shift. She has a gift for being in the right place at the right time to do whatever is necessary, whether that is dealing with an IT issue, ensuring all staff are covered for their breaks or making sure patient allergies are documented. She has mastered the art of scheduling — no one’s favorite job— to improve morale and unit cohesiveness. When she was offered a chance to move into a different role away from direct clinical care, she turned it down, because her heart is with patients.
Her dedication to direct care is clear when she must handle highly charged and difficult moments for patients and their families, which are not uncommon in the ICU. When a family was unhappy with a staff member on the overnight shift, Christina was able to handle the situation with grace and empathy, ensuring the family felt heard and understood. When a patient in the end stages of cancer needed to see his children on a weekend night shift, Christina coordinated with security to make sure it could happen in a timely way. Faced with a shortage of nurses trained to treat renal failure, she simply started training nurses herself to ensure no interruption in treatment. She is committed to patient-centered care and uses all her expertise and communication skills to further that care.
Christina is also a true team player, someone who really sees and celebrates her colleagues. She creates thoughtful personalized holiday gifts for everyone on the team; her dedication to her fellow nurses inspires greatness in others, too.