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 Pediatric Ventilator Nurse Keri Roach was nominated. Here is the nomination letter about Keri: As pediatric nurses our biggest challenge is talking with highly anxious parents. Sometimes, no matter how well we try to explain or teach parents, there is nothing we can do to ease their mind. They think, 'Well, you don’t understand—this is MY child that is sick.' The best way Keri has been able to handle these situations is to keep calm, sympathize with them, and understand that some of these parents are first-time parents and they aren’t sure what to do. It is that “why” that will drive her to love what she does, and not just enter a career for a paycheck. The words that she lives by are “If you love what you do, you don’t have to work a single day in your life.” This is a nurse who is always looking for opportunities to improve her patients' care and quality of life, who does not ask for praise or recognition.
This year, our Pediatric Ventilator Nurse Keri Roach was nominated. Here is the nomination letter about Keri: As pediatric nurses our biggest challenge is talking with highly anxious parents. Sometimes, no matter how well we try to explain or teach parents, there is nothing we can do to ease their mind. They think, 'Well, you don’t understand—this is MY child that is sick.' The best way Keri has been able to handle these situations is to keep calm, sympathize with them, and understand that some of these parents are first-time parents and they aren’t sure what to do. It is that “why” that will drive her to love what she does, and not just enter a career for a paycheck. The words that she lives by are “If you love what you do, you don’t have to work a single day in your life.” This is a nurse who is always looking for opportunities to improve her patients' care and quality of life, who does not ask for praise or recognition.