[ back ]
07.18.03
Day in the life of two clinical nurse specialists
 |
|
|
Trisha Stravin has other roles at Children’s, but her primary job is as a CNS on 6 East, where she supports and mentors new staff and reviews clinical operations. Her role is to ensure that every member of the unit’s nursing staff has the support and clinical expertise to deliver exceptional, family-centered care. “The fast-paced environment on the cardiac unit can be overwhelming, especially for new nurses,” says Stravin. Her charge is to support new nurses in their transition to autonomous members of the nursing team.
“I enjoy learning how a nurse’s personal philosophy, values and culture dictate the care that he or she delivers,” Stravin says. And that understanding defines how she helps them in their practice. “Many nurses enter their careers as young, hopeful and highly motivated individuals,” she says, but because nurses face constant challenges on the job, professional support is crucial. “I’m always checking in with nurses on the unit,” she says. “I am always asking questions like, ‘Why did you make that decision? How did you choose that course of action?’”
After 10 years working at Children’s, Stravin says she has learned the importance of balancing learning and teaching. “I am the middle-man between the nurse providing direct patient care and the nursing system,” she says. Although that means some situations are beyond her control, she says she has embraced the axiom to “accept what I cannot change, have the courage to change what I can and have the wisdom to know the difference.”
 |
|
|
As Children’s resident expert for enterostomal therapy, Sandy Quigley’s daily “routine” is anything but. Quigley specializes in caring for patients with disorders of the skin and gastrointestinal and urinary tracts. On an average day, she visits six or seven floors, offering clinical consultation to physician and nursing colleagues dealing with sensitive issues such as feeding tubes, incontinence, wounds and pressure ulcers.
Quigley provides consults for other care providers on the phone and at the bedside, but she does more than simply give her expert opinion. “I try to help them develop critical thinking skills about these issues,” she says. “I tell them, ‘Describe to me what you’re seeing,’ and then I prompt them to describe it better. I try to help people identify the issues effectively and decide upon the appropriate intervention.”
Between following her pager around Children’s and delivering talks to school nurses, pediatricians and others, Quigley keeps more than busy. But, she says, “I absolutely love being a nurse. I am touched that so many patients and families have let me be a part of their story.”-NT