The Duke Neurology Department offered seven All Star Awards to a nine of our faculty, staff, and trainees this March in recognition of their superlative patient care and willingness to help their colleagues. Individual All Stars were awarded to Tasnim Mushannen, MD, Rahul Gaini, MD, Xioayan Li, MD, Joel Morgenlander, MD, and Mandi Stone, alongside two team awards to Kelly Blessing, PAC, and Giselle Lacuata, MSN, and Pamela Brown, RN and Allison Allen LCSW. Read the nominations below to learn more about our most recent All Stars, or nominate yourself or a colleague for an All-Star Award here.
Tasnim Mushannen, MD
"One of our patients at Morreene road was having chest pain and elevated blood pressure. Tasnim immediately stepped out of the exam room quickly assessed the patient, coordinated ECG with nurses, and called 911 to arrange ambulance transfer to the ED. I was very impressed at her take-charge attitude with this situation."
Nominated by Tim Collins, MD
Rahul Gaini, MD
"Rahul was an incredible member of our neurology service night team during a very busy week. On one night, he admitted several patients, managed urgent floor situations, and maintained a positive, engaged attitude throughout, still asking how he could be helpful to the team. He asks thoughtful questions, documents beautifully, and expends extra effort to ensure he understands all aspects of patients' care. We are so lucky to have him joining us as a JAR in a couple of months!"
Nominated by Jordan Larsen, MD and Christine Dwizis, MD
Xiaoyan Li, MD
"Dr. Li came in to the VA on a Friday that her clinic was cancelled and performed an inpatient EMG on a patient who was newly diagnosed with motor neuron disease. This allowed more prompt intervention and support services for the patient. He and his family were very, very grateful for her excellent care."
Nominated by Dylan Ryan, MD
Joel Morgenlander, MD
"The quality of care I received was exceptional, from the minute I arrived until my discharge. The ED staff were efficient, calm and straightforward. Joel Morgenlander took over the following day and his brilliance, compassion, competence and attention to detail were apparent from the minute he entered the room. Every person I encountered, from the orderlies to housekeepers to CMA's to nurses and techs, behaved professionally.
This is not the Duke I came to as a Family Medicine intern 40 years ago in 1983. That Duke delivered excellent care to those who could afford it. It was male dominated and with few exceptions the only employees of color were housekeepers and cafeteria workers. Of course, many people were kind, but kindness was not part of the fabric of the culture."
Nominated by an anonymous patient
Mandi (Amanda) Stone
"Mandi Stone is a name known to many scopes within the Neurology Department. Her name is known not due to her working in person or that her role has changed over the years or that she has even transferred roles. Her name is known due to the fact that she is so essential to helping others make things happen that they couldn’t figure out or finding solutions for patients and providers in very difficult situations. Very recently there was a patient and family who encountered a tough situation within the clinic. Due to this they were not sure if Duke neurology was the best fit for them. Mandi was able to offer customer service, listen, and find a solution making all parties feel heard (patient, family, and provider).
Mandi will quickly joke that she found “fairy dust” when in fact she is the fairy dust that assists with helping the clinic run smoothly behind the scenes. It is her work ethic, her desire to make sure that patients get what they need, her diligence to support the providers, and her love for our department.
She is a partner not only to the department but the hospital leadership. She is present to talk through dilemmas and creatively think of options and ideas for the patients when things occur in clinic. She listens to the clinic team and helps craft messages and delivery them to the patients and families with the clinic so operations can continue. She is an Neurology All Star and we know we would be lost without you
Stephen King said “don't let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.” I could not find a better quote than this to summarize how I would not be able to complete my day to day job without you. As you may say, the fairy dust you found, I say it is you, your work ethic, your desire to make sure that patients get what they need, your diligence to support our providers, and your love for our department.
Thank you for being my partner. Thank you for being there to talk through dilemmas and creatively think of options and ideas for the patient. Thank you for listening. I know the demands are intense on you with trying to find open slots, communication messages that are not always well received, attempting to get documents in short time frames, and so many more things but you never let this interfere with your communication to the patients or our team. Thank you for being there for us and supporting us. Thank you for being you! I know I would be lost without you."
Nominated by Lindsy Anthony, MSN
Pamela Brown, RN and Allison Allen LCSW
A new patient with severe kyphosis and gait dysfunction (requiring walker, multiple falls with hospitalization, broken ribs) presented to Morreene Road for evaluation. Pamela identified that the patient had no transportation and had taken two city buses to get to the appointment. Allison was able to quickly find alternative safer transportation home for the patient, so they wouldn't have to wait in the cold for the bus nor the fall risk of transferring on/off multiple bus routes."
Nominated by Sneha Mantri, MD, MS
Kelly Blessing, PAC, Giselle Lacuata, MSN, RN, CNIII
“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘thank you,’ it will be enough.” – Meister Eckhart. Many were thinking and whispering that prayer Monday night when the update was sent that our patient was found. Most especially Giselle Lacuata BSN RN and Kelly Blessing PA who had just spent the last 2.5 hours assisting Duke security search Duke as well as support the patient’s wife who was frantically looking for him.
These two did not have to do this, in fact the patient was not in their care when he happened to take a detour but that did not matter. Knowing the wife’s concern, the patient’s medical history, they made sure that every knock and cranny was assessed, people were alerted, and the wife was not alone. This extended way past the normal business hours and beyond the time the gates remain open at Duke South. Due to their determination a patient was reunited with his wife and no harm occurred to him or her during this scary period.
Duke Neurology wants to thank you both for caring, the communication provided to help locate the patient, and updates you provided to help us relay information to the OA and Duke Police. Thank you for staying calm and collected during a potentially very scary time. Due to your help and escalation this helped highlight some learnings and process needs that the larger ambulatory leadership group have already started to better process on how this can be supported in the future. For this you two are not only Neurology All Stars but deserve High Fives for putting our patients first and showing Duke’s Values in Action.
Nominated by Lindsy Anthony, MSN