Announcing the 2023 DCI Superstars

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Anita is one of those people who truly is mindful of all the patients in her care. She knows them and can recognize subtle changes in them both physically and emotionally. She has a calming effect on people and is a diligent worker. She is driven to ensure our MD schedules are on time, ensures we all know who is where and doing what, and is an excellent phlebotomist. Basically she keeps the wheels on the bus moving forward at all times. Patients ask for her by name, and she always makes sure they get what they need during the visit. She is a self-starter and always strives to do everything thoroughly. She is a valued asset to our clinic, and we are lucky to have her. Anita is very modest and never recognizes the impact she has on our entire office. She never minds going out of her way to help others.

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Anita is such a crucial part of keeping our clinic running. She is knowledgeable, hardworking, and so smart. It is a pleasure to work with her and our patients are better off for having Anita as part of their care team. It is amazing to watch her work, and how she is able to keep the team on track. Anita is a large part of what makes the work culture at our cancer center so strong. I hope we are able to work with her for a long time and I have no doubt that she will continue to make a difference in the lives of those in her orbit. I have nominated her to be our DCI Superstar because I would love to see her have this extra piece of recognition. 

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Meg embodies everything that is a superstar. She is a quiet force who always looks for a way to improve processes for patients, staff, and her peers. She has dedicated an enormous effort to improve the patient experience, whether she is advocating for and communicating new processes to all impacted healthcareis  teams, improving questionnaires for patients, teaching and mentoring new nurses, or … ensuring that the Cold Cap Therapy program is operating smoothly. In addition to embodying professionalism, she is kind and calm as a work partner and is always there to support someone in need. 

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I see Meg go above and beyond for our patients every single day. From making personal phone calls to patients to understand their experience and help them 1:1, to escalating issues that may impact others on a system level even if that means more time and effort to do so. To say Meg gives 110% to everything she does is an understatement and despite her workload, she’ll be the first to offer help when a colleague is struggling. She does all of this with grace and patience and truly deserves this recognition.

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When I joined DCI as a newly graduated clinical nurse specialist, Meg had an orientation plan that would both validate my (professional) competency and set me up for success with the organization… Meg was (and remains) my sounding board for practical questions, navigating difficult communication, and the insecurities that come with new graduate practice. While my orientation is such a small snippet of Meg’s superstar work, I think that it exemplifies her excellence at mentoring and standardization of practice.

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During the recent internal audit of our cold cap therapy process, Meg was instrumental in helping close many loops and creating processes for the program… Her hard work and persistence allowed us to achieve success… Meg has also been a great resource… in rolling out the updated distress screening tool. She always makes time for questions, is thoughtful in her responses, and ensures we always incorporate feedback from frontline staff… Meg has been the constant force in ensuring our breast health questionnaire has life!  … Without Meg’s dedication, this would not have come to fruition… Meg is the chair of our Head and Neck Oncology Care Continuum Task Force Committee. Her leadership on this committee has been critically important to the continued efforts to streamline care coordination and improve patient education and patient experience in Durham and Raleigh. She pulled together a multi-disciplinary workgroup with reps from inpatient and outpatient teams and effectively broke down silos…we’ve seen a lot of innovation and improvement out of this committee, and Meg has been the lynchpin pulling us all together…Meg has also been instrumental in helping get the RN Coordinator role up and running…She follows through on her commitments and is such a great person to work with!  She truly embodies our Duke values of Teamwork and Excellence in all that she does, the Duke Cancer Institute is lucky to have her.

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Renee has an outstanding dedication to patient care and exceptional teamwork. Her commitment to going above and beyond for the patients, as well as her willingness to assist coworkers, truly showcases her remarkable qualities. Renee has a patient-centered focus and an ability to handle busy times with politeness and kindness. She displays her dedication to medicine not only in her current role as a Certified Medical Assistant but also in her future aspirations of becoming a Physician Assistant. Renee consistently prioritizes patient comfort and convenience while also supporting her coworkers. Her proactive attitude in taking on tasks without being asked, such as drawing labs for the phlebotomist when they are delayed, showcases her dedication to ensuring smooth and efficient patient care. Additionally, her commitment to rounding on hospitalized patients during her administrative day demonstrates her willingness to go the extra mile to provide comprehensive and personalized care. By actively addressing patient discomfort and placing them in a private room for added comfort in their current situation, she shows empathy and a patient-centered approach. She consistently provides a positive workplace environment and welcomes new team members with a smile. Her actions not only alleviate stress for her coworkers but also enhance patient satisfaction and overall outcomes.

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She always goes above and beyond in her job, providing extra care and compassion and helping patients and co-workers. She is brilliant, smart and efficient. It's such a pleasure to work with her and all the patients adore her! Patients truly appreciate her compassion and kind heart. We hear great feedback about her from patients all the time! 

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