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 Ronda’s story.
“She is an excellent clinician, well-respected employee, exceptional leader, and strong patient advocate. Ronda always places the needs of our patients first.”
Describe why you chose to become a nurse.
I chose to be a nurse because it was a way that I could make a difference in someone’s life. Helping people has always been my desire in life; however, it wasn’t enough to just “help” them. I wanted to make a difference and improve peoples lives. I always thought of nursing and healthcare as a field of mission work. Making a difference and planting seeds to help people grow in their mental and physical health is my goal.
I enjoy the challenges associated with emergency nursing and the immediate gratification. I find fulfillment in knowing I made a positive impact on someone in their most trying and difficult time of life. I see people at their worst; however, I help them see how strong they are and challenge them to give it their all to survive or provide them the dignity they deserve in the face of death.
I trust my own faith and prayer to direct my care of the family left to live on without their loved one. I see my “patient” as an entire unit of family, caregivers, and visitors. I care for them all in the hopes of making an extremely difficult time a little easier, hopefully.
Describe your most rewarding day on the job
I triaged a patient who cardiac arrested almost immediately after placing them from the wheelchair onto the stretcher. We “coded” and worked on the patient for many hours. The patient coded off and on during the entire time. The patient was too unstable for any diagnostic imaging or scans; therefore, as a last effort, we administered TPA. The patient survived. Before transferring to another facility, the patient was communicating with family and our staff, telling us that their chest hurt. The patient has since come back to speak with us and is doing great.
Describe your most challenging day on the job
My most challenging day on the job involved a pediatric trauma. A young child arrived in critical condition after a terrible accident. All attempts to save the child’s life were not enough due to a lethal injury to the child’s aorta. I remember the mother pleading with me to not stop. She was screaming and begging me to save her precious and innocent child. I had the mother put her hands under mine and we slowly stopped chest compressions together. The mother was able to understand that she and our team did all we could do to save her child’s life. She also could feel that her child’s heart was no longer beating beneath her hands. The mother was so thankful for my approach that day and the opportunity that I gave her to try and save her child’s life. I wouldn’t make this decision in every case, each situation is unique. This choice, that day, for that mother was the right one though.
Do you have any nurse hacks or lessons learned in the field you would like to share with others?
Don’t ever think you know everything. Don’t ever stop learning from others. Anticipation and knowledge are key concepts to have in nursing, especially emergency nursing. Don’t try to fight back the tears and be super human, be yourself and cry when you need to.
What’s a favorite quote of yours?
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as every you can.” -John Wesley
For those looking for a way to help others, is there a charity you suggest?
Emmy’s House Children’s Advocacy Center…I am a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) RN. I have seen such a need for local CAC’s to help children who are victims of abuse. I admire the work this center does for our community.
Thank you for all you do, Ronda!
Ronda’s Nomination
Ronda Ayers is the Unit Coordinator for our Emergency Department. She is an excellent clinician, well-respected employee, exceptional leader, and strong patient advocate. Ronda always places the needs of our patients first. Recently, we had a patient that refused a special testing. While the test was important, it was not life threatening or harmful if not completed. Ronda was very understanding and explained the need and intent of the test in detail to the patient. Unfortunately, the patient continued to refuse the test. Ronda championed the patient’s right to make the decision and the patient’s right to refuse the test. Her approach was very positive. Sometimes, healthcare workers tend to think we know best for the patient. It is heartwarming to know that even when we disagree with the patient’s decision, that it can be done in such a respectful manner. Ronda certainly role modeled the respectful approach!
Tremonteo B. Crawford
Randolph
Thank you for helping us honor Ronda and the profession of nursing, Tremonteo. 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! Let’s also recognize the great work being done by the charities these nurses are championing, and encourage others to help if they can.
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.
