These three incredible nurses from the ICU are instrumental in guaranteeing daily operations run smoothly for patients and staff alike.
Often acting as the ICU charge nurse, Tracy leads the transition between the day and night staff, ensuring a smooth handoff. She also evaluates each patient, estimating what care will be needed and dividing her and her staff’s time accordingly.
Courtney plays a critical role in managing patient care at the bedside. She ensures that care from all team members is integrated, coherent, and aligned with the patient’s needs. She remains readily available to respond to any emergency, as well as attend to ongoing needs.
Allie leads the Rapid Response Team, a role in which she not only provides care in emergencies but also manages and trains a team equipped to handle anything that comes their way.
While working in the ICU, Courtney has noticed that many patients lack healthcare literacy. She takes pride in being able to bridge this knowledge gap for patients and their families, translating medical terms into something more digestible. Allie agrees, adding how fulfilling it is to empower patients in moments of chaos, something she’s deeply passionate about.
“We are there for people on their hardest days,” says Courtney. “I like being able to see patients get better and help guide them through the healthcare system.”
To Tracy, working in the ICU and having the honor of seeing patients heal is certainly rewarding, but she also highlights the care nurses provide for patients at the end of their lives. She says that much of their work is about being adaptive, from aiding in lifesaving care to providing a gentle and supportive approach with families in moments of death.
“Whether you want to acknowledge it or not, healthcare is something that touches every single human, whether you want it to or not,” says Tracy. “It’s important to support [ZSFG] so that it can support you when you need it.”