Dale Medical Products AACN Excellent Clinical Nurse Specialist Award.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Leslie Swadener-Culpepper, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS 

The Medical Center of Central Georgia, Macon, Ga.

I was a new graduate nurse needing guidance when Leslie came to The Medical Center of Central Georgia. One of Leslie's first projects was to create a Competency Based Orientation program for the many levels of nurses practicing in our ICUs. As an advocate, we can call Leslie anytime we need her. Her problem-solving skills are remarkable. One night, a patient needed CRRT; it was 2 a.m. and all machines were unavailable. I called Leslie, because the patient was in dire need. Within an hour, Leslie arranged to borrow a machine, this while she was on vacation in another state.

Leslie led staff participation in a research project for Continuous Lateral Rotation Therapy (CLRT). The project was a tremendous success, not only as a learning experience, but also because hospital length of stay (LOS) was reduced 6.7 days and the critical care LOS was reduced 5.4 days. Total savings for the CLRT group was an astronomical $900,000. As a member of our Value Analysis Team, Leslie insists on accountability to patient care when choosing supplies. She reminds us that cheaper is not always better and organizes any product trial affecting nursing practice and patient care. Her efforts contributed to a $3 million savings over three years through clinical oversight of standardization programs, without jeopardizing quality of care.

As co-chair of our Code Blue team, Leslie organized education for Code Blue management attended by over 1,400 RNs and respiratory therapists. This is one reason we have achieved a 40% survival to discharge rate for cardiopulmonary arrest patients.

Leslie pushes herself and the nursing staff to be the best that they can be. She has touched many lives with both her hands and her spiritual being. I hope one day to be able to say that I am as incredible a nurse as I think she is.