Taylor West, RN, ED – Emergency Department
Please join the Center for Nursing Excellence in congratulating Taylor, RN, for being selected as the DAISY Award recipient for the month of June!
Taylor West, RN, ED – Emergency Department, and was nominated by a Nursing Student. The nomination below reflects how Taylor impacted their life in a very special way.
Nomination: As a UAMS nursing student, a clinical day in the ED is always fickle. There is a lot going on with limited observational time, and questions are sometimes unanswered. When I reported to the ED for my clinical day, I was paired with Taylor, and I could not be more appreciative.
Immediately, we hit the ground running with me watching her take the lead on traumas, medical emergencies, and a packed waiting room. Though we never stopped moving, Taylor never stopped her teaching. We asked each other Big Brain questions, practiced setting up an arterial line, discussed pharmacological interventions for intubations, and quizzed each other on different case studies for triage. Every patient we encountered needed help and Taylor answered the bell with organization, efficiency, and a touch of humor.
Taylor and I sat right next to the charge nurse all day, watching her direct nurses and ambulances to the correct trauma bays and rooms. All the while, Taylor coached me in the “how” and “why” of being a leader in the ED. Different nurses in the department asked us many questions, and Taylor was always a resource, efficiently answering and teaching both experienced and new grad nurses on policies and procedures.
We finished the day with me practicing reporting to an ICU nurse for a care handoff. Taylor instructed me on what was most important, and to include specifics on your nursing assessments that changed throughout your care.
Despite the hectic day, Taylor always left each patient’s room feeling like an advocate. Whether it was contacting family after a trauma, medication reconciliation, or even asking a patient if they needed a blanket, Taylor ensured it got done.As an aspiring emergency nurse, I will carry Taylor’s skills and organization with me throughout my nursing career. When the day comes for me to precept a nursing student during their clinical, I will always remember my day in the UAMS ED with Taylor.
Thank you, Taylor!