Mary S. Fay Essence of Nursing Award Finalists
James Roche, MEd, BSN, RN, NIC, Central Nursing Resources
Whether Jim Roche is caring for ICU patients throughout the Tower, orienting Float Pool NLNs or mentoring tomorrow's Pastoral Care providers, one thing is certain: his trademark enthusiasm and compassion are making an impact on everyone around him.
"In the Float Pool, Jim role models the values of respect, compassion and dignity for the entire BWH community," said Float Pool Nurse Manager Cathy Rumble, RN. "He is frequently described by staff on various units as 'kind, always smiling, a consummate professional and a wonderful listener.'"
Those qualities make Roche an excellent mentor for the NLNs he orients to the Float Pool. After orientation, Roche offers continuous support and maintains communication with these nurses, who work on various units throughout the Tower.
Adriana Cecchini, BSN, RN, of the Intermediate Float Pool, met Roche while she was working as a PCA in the PACU and pursuing a career in nursing. When Roche told her about an opportunity to join the Float Pool, she was ecstatic.
"I was thrilled to have this opportunity and was even more excited that Jim would be mentoring me through the upcoming year," Cecchini said. "Jim has made it a point to check in with me continuously throughout the year and make himself available if I should ever need him."
As Rumble said, "Jim not only knows what to teach but how to teach it."
His teaching skills are evident in the mentoring Roche provides for each new class of Pastoral Care residents and interns. Roche gives these students a tour of an ICU patient room and explains the machinery and telemetry in the rooms. "As he explains, his expertise in nursing practice and his passion for what he is doing is evident," Chaplain Ronald J. Hindelang, STL, PhD, said. "His love for life and love for people are contagious, lifting the spirits of those he encounters."
Roche constantly seeks to improve care. He was a leader in initiating the hospital's rapid response team and ensuring that Float Pool staff were competent in phlebotomy in the ED. He is a member of the Procedural Sedation Committee, chair of the NIC Council and an ACLS instructor.
Roche joined BWH in 1986 as a staff nurse on the Burn Trauma Step-down Unit and has held staff nurse positions in the Cardiac Surgery ICU, PACU, ED and ICU Float Pool. He holds a BSN from Emmanuel College and a master's in Education from Cambridge College.
James Roche was nominated by Float Pool Nurse Manager Cathy Rumble, RN.