Sabine Aboltina

We are writing to nominate Sabine Aboltina for the Distinguished Staff 2015 Award. Sabine is a hospital assistant that has been a part of the 8E, Burns, Plastics and Pediatric Trauma Acute Care Unit since March of 2013. Sabine is an outstanding employee and coworker. Her humble, joyful and hardworking attitude distinguishes her as a member of the 8E team.

Sabine takes excellent care of her patients causing them to rave about the care that she provides. She is able to provide such excellent care because she takes the time to listen to each person and treat them as an individual. She cares for every person as if he or she were a member of her own family. Sabine offers small tokens of compassion, often overlooked, by offering patients a wash cloth in the morning or taking the time to braid hair after it is washed or shaves a man’s face after bathing. Sabine goes above and beyond every day. For example, last year we received a letter from a patient that specifically distinguished Sabine and the exceptional care she provides from all of our other excellent staff members.

Letter from patient ZC:

Hi! I am a 14 year old, and on September 22 at about 3:30 pm, I was in a biking accident on Snoqualmie Parkway. In this biking accident, my right pointer finger was cut off, due to the force of my body against guard rail. I was admitted into emergency surgery by Dr. Friedrich to reattach the finger at about 10:30 pm that night, and was put into my room at about 4:30 am. I was put into the “Tropicana Room”, room 812, the room that was 90 degrees and had a 70% humidity. I was in that room for 3 ½ days, but felt like 3 ½ years, as I wasn’t able to leave! But all of the nurses and Pediatricians that came to my room made everything a whole lot easier. There is one specific nurse technician that I remember, and her name is Sabine. She would come in every day and wash my hair with cold water (which felt amazing considering how hot the room was). She was very gentle, and when I was crying because I was upset about the room, she told me that everything was going to be okay. That really meant a lot to me. …She and everyone that cared for me helped me get through a tough point in my life, and I am forever grateful.

Leading by example, Sabine comes to work each day with a smile on her face, a can-do positive attitude and a willingness to work hard. She greets everyone including the nurses she is assigned to with a friendly face and willingness to work hard. Sabine is a reliable co-worker. She gets her work done and documents it in a timely fashion.

Because of her exemplary leadership hospital assistants and nursing technicians look to Sabine for information and support in their roles. Sabine is a preceptor of choice for many new staff members because she takes the time to orient him or her thoroughly. She explains “the why” to every action that she takes to provide safe and effective care.

Sabine is a ball of energy at the front desk when functioning as the patient services specialist. She never sits down. She is quick to jump up from her role at the desk to help a hospital assistant reposition a patient or assist with a bed bath. She always keeps the charge nurse informed when she steps away from the desk.