ICU Nurse Director receives DAISY Nurse Leader Award

The DAISY Nurse Leader Award annually recognizes the incredible work that nurse leaders do every day. At Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital nurse leaders include Nurse Directors, Nursing Supervisors, Nurse Educators and Program Managers in the Department of Nursing. Recently, ICU Nurse Director Estier Sayegh, BSN, RN, CNRN, PCCN, CCRN, received BWFH’s 2020 DAISY Nurse Leader Award.

Sayegh was nominated by ICU Clinical Leader Ellen McCarthy, MSN, RN, CCRN, on behalf of the ICU for her leadership, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her constant support and encouragement for her staff.

In her nomination, McCarthy wrote, “Estier Sayegh is a transformational leader. She works with her team (as you will always hear her refer to her employees from Dialysis, Respiratory, and the ICU) to identify needed change and assists in the creation of a vision to guide the change process believing in a true team approach. She holds staff meetings with the three departments combined as our work is woven together and she has created a unified approach to care.

She has been a support to the ICU Unit Based Council (UBC) assisting in their vision of improved patient care with a proposed Nurse Driven Protocol for Palliative Care Consults, and improved Handoff Process between the ED and ICU, and Quality work regarding CAUTI, VAE and Falls.

Estier encourages growth in all her staff, and doesn’t just encourage staff, she models the behavior. She holds several certifications and just completed her MBA during the COVID-19 crisis. She was incredibly busy with the crisis but was determined to complete her degree as planned and we are all very proud of her accomplishment! She is up to date on the most current literature regarding ICU care.

Estier is a role model of compassion and exemplary practice. During the COVID crisis, Estier planned and prepped the staff in advance to help alleviate some of the fear that was being felt by the staff. We were about to see the sickest patients that we have ever taken care of and she made sure we had the resources to care for each patient as we would want to be cared for. She huddled with the staff several times a day to keep us abreast of all the changes and as you are aware, the changes were occurring minute by minute.

We had numerous deployed staff and travelers to assist us in the care of the patients. Estier knew each one by name and checked in on them frequently to be sure they had what they needed to take care of the patients. She tried her best to accommodate schedules for the numerous staff members caring for patients in the ICU and made sure everyone had a break, food to eat, and was often noted to slip a piece of chocolate to her staff for sustenance! She was concerned for the emotional aspect of the job and frequently checked in on staff to see how they were doing emotionally and had support ready for those that needed it. Estier never came to work in clothes that she did not feel comfortable jumping into action in, she is always the first to offer a helping hand in COVID times and regular times.

You can always hear her praising and thanking her staff for a job well done. She beams when she sees the successes in her staff and in turn her staff want to make her proud. She encourages critical thinking and continued professional growth thereby promoting a professional atmosphere. She takes a decrease in quality measures to heart and quickly works with staff to figure out a way to strive for better outcomes. She truly inspires all to grow and do their very best each day.”

Says Sayegh, "Being recognized as a Daisy Nurse Leader was extremely meaningful. I felt honored receiving several nominations, because the fact that staff take the time to appreciate their colleagues for a job well done really shows the positive work culture here at BWFH."

"I have been at BWFH for just under two years and it has been a great experience," she continues. "I have been honored to work with my teams in ICU, Respiratory, Dialysis and the deployed staff during the pandemic. I am a proud BWFH nurse."

To learn more about the DAISY Nurse Leader Award, click here.

Published 10/15/20