“When I think what it means to be a nurse, Sherri stands out as a bright star amongst her peers,” said Michelle Braskat, RN, Senior Manager, Appointment and Advice Care Center (AACC), who nominated her colleague for the honor.
Sherri Shaw, RN, was named a 2024 Extraordinary Nurse for the Appointment and Advice Care Centers. She is a 26-year Kaiser Permanente employee and staff nurse III based out of the Vallejo AACC.
Inspiration for Nursing
Shaw recalls a desire to want to help people from a young age. “In kindergarten, I started saying I was going to be a nurse,” shared Shaw. “I’ve always been inclined to want to do something for somebody whether I know them or not.”
Today, Shaw is inspired by the nature of her role as a AACC nurse. “You never know what’s going to be on the other line and that’s what makes it so fun and keeps you inspired. When you’re done with one call, you have no clue what the next call is, what they’re going to need and how you’re going to help them,” she said.
Leading with purpose
“My purpose is to make a difference,” said Shaw. “When you make a difference in someone’s life, it gives you meaning in your life. You feel like you’re on earth or you’re present in this moment for that reason.”
Shaw believes that even the smallest of things can make a big difference in the lives of Kaiser Permanente members.
“As soon as I come into my office and put my headset on to start taking calls, I am looking for a way to help whoever it is on the other line and provide whatever they need the best that I can,” she said.
Delivering care excellence
“Sherri is an expert OB/GYN nurse, consistently provides high quality exceptional patient care and is a role model to her peers,” said Braskat. “She possesses many leadership characteristics, including courage, respect and self-awareness.”
“She makes a positive impact on the lives of the patients she cares for in her daily work as an advice nurse, and indirectly as a leader in the AACC committees and groups she serves,” added Braskat.
Her leadership and expertise are valued by the AACC team. Working together as co-chairs of Vallejo AACC Nurse Quality Forum, Braskat called out Shaw’s efforts to update RN protocols. “Several of the recommendations resulted in beneficial revisions to the protocol, the most used in the Vallejo call center. Sherri makes sound recommendations in her various committee roles.”