Meet our Rock Hill 2015 Nurse of the Year Nominee

Every day, a growing number of dedicated nurses care for aging adults and people with complex medical needs inside their homes, administering daily medications, providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness, and managing personalized plans of care. To pay tribute to the specialized and tireless work of thousands of nurses throughout the network, BrightStar Care launched a national Nurse of the Year program to recognize the nurses who are working hard to deliver A Higher Standard of Home Care each and every day. This year, our Registered Nurse, Tammy Snyder was nominated. Here is the nomination letter about Tammy: My recommendation for Nurse of the Year is Tammy Snyder, RN.  Tammy has been working PRN for this office since we opened our doors in March 2009.  During these 6 years, Tammy has been one of the most dependable, reliable, and competent employees with whom I have had the pleasure of working.  Her bedside manner is warm and sympathetic, while maintaining a professionalism that reflects her years of experience.  Specialty pharmacies and National Accounts often request her after receiving positive feedback from the families that she has visited.  One morning in January 2015, Tammy left the office for a routine assessment that was referred to us by LifePlans.  As usual, she arrived at the home early and knocked on the door.  As she waited for someone to come to the door, she began to hear a great deal of commotion – screams, running, crying, and yelling.  Tammy knocked again, more loudly this time.  The Insured’s daughter came to the door.  She yelled, “I thought you were the ambulance.”  Tammy asked what was wrong, and the daughter led her to the bedroom where her mother lay unconscious.  Tammy did a quick check and found no pulse and no respirations.  She immediately began CPR.  Tammy continued CPR until the EMTs arrived several minutes later.  The EMTs continued CPR, started an IV, and transported her to the hospital.  The patient lived. Tammy returned to the office and, with her usual sense of humility, talked about the good work that the EMTs had done.  Apparently, the EMTs had their own opinions regarding who was the hero that day and chose to share those opinions.  Two days later, I received a call from LifePlans.  The LifePlans representative said that in all her years in the industry, she had never heard an Insurance Company insist on paying for a service that was never performed.  However, their client was insisting on paying for this Assessment to reward the nurse who saved their Insured’s life.  When Tammy was told about this, she was a little embarrassed, very appreciative, and asked how the woman was doing.