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Melissa Rader, RN, BSN, CCRN

Nurse Spotlight

Swedish Hospital

Stories of Florence Nightingale’s compassion, bravery, and leadership have shaped modern nursing and influenced and inspired millions. As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of her birth, we are honored to shine a light on today’s #NurseHeroes on the front lines by sharing some of their stories.

This is Melissa’s story.

 

“Our staff was hit with a COVID exposure and we were struggling. Melissa picked up shifts night and day to ensure patients were safely cared for.”

 

Describe why you chose to become a nurse

I actually had applied for different majors to different colleges, but I took a med biology class my senior year of high school that really got me interested in nursing. I had an opportunity to shadow a nurse, and after that day, I knew being a nurse was meant for me.

Describe your most rewarding day on the job

Honestly, I don’t know if it was necessarily rewarding, but we recently had a patient’s family member who dropped off some care packages to the hospital who wanted to meet me. They had just lost two family members to Covid but wanted to thank me for Facetiming with them and another family member so they could say their goodbyes to their loved one. It was tough, but it made me feel better that I could provide some type of closure for this family during this absolute chaos. Meeting them in person made me want to cry because they were so appreciative.

Describe your most challenging day on job

I don’t have just one day, biggest challenge we’re living through it right now. I work at Swedish Hospital in Chicago, and we’re getting hit hard with Covid. Having to adapt with limited supplies and resources has proven to be a challenge, but also has shown me how resilient and adaptive our team of healthcare providers can be.

Do you have any nurse hacks or lessons learned in the field you would like to share with others?

No major hacks to being a nurse. Just admit if you don’t know something, find the help you need, and make sure you learn as much as you can so you are informed for the future. It’s a nurse’s job to be a continual learner. And also be kind. This is applicable beyond nursing in being a decent human being lol.

What’s a favorite quote of yours?

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor” -FDR

Anything else you’d like to share?

Stay safe, stay strong. We’re currently making history.

For those looking for a way to help others, is there a charity you suggest?

The American Cancer Society in memory of Janet Kimsey. We lost our charge nurse Janet Kimsey this February to ovarian cancer. Love and miss her; she was an amazing mentor and friend.

 

Thank you for all you do, Melissa!

 


Melissa’s Nomination

Melissa really supported the Critical Care nursing team. Our staff was hit with a COVID exposure and we were struggling. Melissa picked up shifts night and day to ensure patients were safely cared for. She inspired staff and is my hero!

– Robyn Barriffe, DNP, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K, AVP
Swedish Hospital

Thank you for helping us honor Melissa and the profession of nursing, Robyn. We salute you! 


 

Do you have a story to share?

While our team at ShiftWizard believes all nurses are heroes, we’d like to hear who you feel has gone above and beyond. Help us honor a fellow nurse or nurse leader whose actions have inspired others in these unprecedented times, and let’s celebrate nursing together!

Did you know that ShiftWizard significantly lowers staffing costs for healthcare organizations? 

These are incredibly challenging times for nurses as well as the organizations they serve, and there’s no better time to learn how ShiftWizard can deliver significant cost savings, best prepare your team for success, and be a dependable partner in times of adversity.

Our industry-leading workforce management solution is quick to implement and was developed by nurses— it is built specifically for healthcare and solves the complexities of scheduling staff for any department within a hospital. And, especially for times like these, our powerful communication center excels at getting messages (text, email, and automated calls) to staff securely and quickly, maximizing accountability and teamwork.

We are honored to support our frontline teams and we are here to help you meet your challenges head on.

Send your nurse story to us at info@shiftwizard.com or let us know how we can help you.