Andrea Ignoffo

Dedicated and compassionate Registered Nurse (RN) with progressive career history in direct patient care, triage and care coordination in fast-paced environment. Proven to remain calm under pressure and skillfully handle difficult patients and high-stress situations. Consistently developing strong relationships with patients and families through empathetic communication, respectful attitude and excellent customer service.

In 2018, I earned the Daisy Award.  I was nominated by my colleague, Maria, who has worked with me for seventeen years.  I received report from day shift on Mr.G.  He was a 400lb homeless man who had an extensive medical history.  Diabetes and CHF were just two of his many issues.  I was informed that he had been verbally abusive to all staff since his admission three days ago.  He was on the call light constantly.  I knew Mr. G was going to be a challenge, but I was up for it.  I entered his room and introduced myself as his nurse for the next eights hours.  I told him that I was going to take care of his every need but that we had to establish a set of ground rules based on mutual respect.  I told him that I was going to bathe him from head to toe, including scrub his feet.  I told him that I was going to provide him with food every two hours and I would check on him every hour.  I also told him he was not to ring the call light unless it was an emergency.  I did exactly as I promised.  I bathed his whole body and rubbed him down with lotion,  I performed immaculate foot care and scrubbed off all the dirt between his toes.  His legs were so edematous, the skin was cracking.   I got an order for eucerin ointment and covered his legs with it. I ordered four trays from the kitchen and feed him every two hours.  It did not take long to gain Mr. G's trust.  He did not put the call light on once.  He was polite to all staff.  Maria came on that night.  She peeked her head in the room and saw that Mr. G was asleep in a perfectly made bed.  She asked me if I sedated him.  I said, "No".  She asked me how I got him to be so cooperative.  I told her my strategy.  Mr. G slept the whole night through. His condition improved over the next few days.  His spirits stared to lift.  He was very cooperative and appreciative to all staff for the rest of his hospitalization.  I believe he got better because he felt like his needs were being met.   Everyone started working better together because the was a mutual understood respect between Mr. G and the staff.   Communication goes a long way.