EXCELLENCE IN NURSING AWARDS 2018
EXCELLENCE IN NURSING AWARDS
A lot has been said about the year 2020, much of it bad, some of it downright ugly. But there have been good words on the
street, too, including firsthand accounts of how frontline workers have stepped up to care for the community when it needed it
most. Chances are, you’ve heard an inspiring story or two about Rhode Island’s very own nurses. Although all heroic caregivers
in this field deserve praise for the work they’ve done (and continue to do) this year, Rhode Island Monthly and the Rhode Island
State Nurses Association are especially eager to applaud the efforts of our 2020 Excellence in Nursing Awards recipients. As
nominated by their fellow nurses, the following thirteen honorees do their profession proud, exemplifying courage, dedication and
compassion in times of COVID and beyond.
OUR JUDGE:
Irene Eaton, RN, MSN, past president of American Nurses Association–Maine.
*Interviews have been condensed and edited for length and clarity.
CLINICAL PRACTICE NURSE OF THE YEAR
Ashley McAuslin, RN, BSN, CEN
Emergency Department Registered Nurse and Emergency
Department Patient Safety Officer at the Miriam Hospital
the Daisy Nurse Leader award. This award recognizes the
qualities inherent in nursing leaders who create an environment
where extraordinary and compassionate nursing practice may
flourish. I was nominated by a fellow nurse for “creating an
environment of safety for the emergency department staff and
all patients.” She noted I was “trustworthy, compassionate
and always approachable with any questions or staff needs.”
I was so shocked to receive this award. When I read the
nomination letter, I was so humbled and appreciative that a
co-worker felt this way about my work ethic.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO AN ASPIRING
CLINICAL PRACTICE NURSE?
Know that nursing can be physically and mentally challenging,
but it is one of the most rewarding careers. Nursing keeps you
humble; it makes you realize that life is short, and you should
make the most of every day that you have.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO NURSING?
As a teenager, I babysat for my CCD teacher and his wife, who was a NICU
nurse. After some conversations about what she did for a living, I decided
a career in nursing would be something I would like to do as well. Later,
during my senior year of college, I started at the Miriam Hospital as a
clinical nurse intern. I applied for the emergency department because it
always interested me. When I graduated, I was lucky enough to be offered
a job in the department and I started as a new grad nurse.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR NURSING MENTOR.
My manager, Denise Brennan, has guided me through my nursing career.
She always inspires me to grow and has given me countless opportunities
to do so. She is a great leader who encourages you to succeed.
TELL US ABOUT A CAREER HIGHLIGHT.
The accomplishment that I am most proud of in my career is receiving
WHAT EFFECT HAS COVID-19 HAD
ON YOU AS A NURSE?
At first, COVID-19 turned the emergency department
from a bustling, non-stop atmosphere of controlled
chaos into a ghost town. When Rhode Island was in
full shutdown and the governor urged everyone to
stay home, people listened. Only those who needed
to be there came in. Our daily volume became eerily
low and the fear of the unknown seeped into the staff.
As a dual job holder, I used my patient safety role to
create virtual outings on Zoom and provide an outlet
for staff to get together to talk about their fears, anxiety
and how COVID-19 was affecting their life at work and
at home. Luckily, we haven’t seen the volume of dying
COVID patients that other states have, but not knowing
if it’s ever going to get that way is the hardest part.
62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l OCTOBER 2020