60 seconds with Jennifer Donno
Jennifer won the Star of the Month award in December for her outstanding response to the power cut and generator failure we had at ITU in December 2021.
We recently talked to her about her role at Whipps Cross, her response to this incident, and how she feels about being recognised for this.
1) Hi Jennifer, can you tell us a little about your role?
I am a senior sister working in the critical care unit. My role involves the day-to-day management of the service, supporting the team and ensuring that high standards of clinical care is delivered to a variety of complex patients in the critical care unit.
The role requires maintaining effective communication between the entire multidisciplinary team and ensuring good communication with critically unwell patients and their families.
2) What do you enjoy the most about your job and about working at Whipps?
I enjoy working with a team of great colleagues who are very supportive and work well and effectively together.
It is also extremely rewarding to see how so many patients who enter critical care in a serious condition, improve clinically, and then leave and return to their everyday lives. It is satisfying to see them walk back into our follow-up clinics, very grateful for the life-saving care they received in the critical care unit.
3) How long have you been working with us?
I have been working as a nurse at Whipps Cross for almost 13 years. My initial two years were based on Poplar ward, after which I moved to the critical care unit where I have worked for the past 11 years.
4) Proudest patient moment or highlight from the past year?
For me a highlight from the past year was when a patient with COVID pneumonia, that had been in the critical care unit for over 3 months, recovered and was successfully discharged to the ward. This recovery was due in part to the diligent and proficient teamwork from the ITU nurses, doctors and the wider multidisciplinary team.
5) In your nomination for Star of the Month, your nomination highlighted the outstanding job you did when we had the power cut and generator failure on ITU1, how do you feel about this and how did you approach that challenging day?
On the night in question, there was a power cut in the ITU. Usually, the backup generator will provide electricity for the various ventilators and equipment in ITU but not on this particular occasion. We were faced with the emergency situation of providing care for critically unwell patients without a power supply in an attempt to continue to provide life-saving treatment. Following consultation with site management and theatres, patients were carefully transferred to theatres, where there was a power supply, to provide temporary, on-going, critical care.
Looking back, a lot of things could potentially have gone wrong that night and I am extremely proud of the way the critical care team handled the challenging situation, demonstrating effective teamwork and professionalism. I am very appreciative of the help and support we received from other departments, such as theatre staff and site management. It was an unexpected, emergency situation but all staff approached the task with the same commitment and teamwork they display on a daily basis.
6) Finally, how do you feel about been awarded the Star of the Month award and why you think is important that colleagues and teams recognise each other’s work, commitment and passion?
I feel honoured to have received the Star of the Month award and would like to thank the trust for this award. I would like to acknowledge all the members of the critical care team who all played an important role in transporting and caring for the ITU patients on the night of the power cut and generator failure. It was a team effort and everyone worked effectively and efficiently during this emergency event.
I feel appreciated by the staff with whom I work with and I greatly value their recognition. Although I was just doing my job, receiving this award has highlighted to me the importance of teamwork.
I think it is important to recognise individual and team achievements as it helps to boost morale and promote happy and effective teamwork.
Do you know someone who deserves some recognition? Nominate them for a Star of the Month Award by completing this short form with your reasons why you think they deserve to be nominated.