LifeSaver Series: ICU Charge Nurse Danielle O’Toole, Tacoma General Hospital

Each month LifeCenter Northwest establishes a Lifesaver Award. This award honors and recognizes those who demonstrate a commitment to improving donation outcomes and culture through their actions, time, and energy. We are proud to announce Danielle O’Toole, ICU Charge RN from Tacoma General Hospital as our December LifeSaver Award winner.

During a recent shift, Danielle was heard an overhead announcement that a major trauma patient was being admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) and was coding, and she immediately thought about organ donation. She knew that in order for organ donation to be possible, certain lifesaving measures would need to be applied to the patient and a referral call would need to be made as soon as possible. She consulted with ICU Director, Jill Robinson. Jill instructed her to head down to the ED and ensure that the right steps were being taken for donation viability and to help make the donation referral.

Because of Danielle’s swift thinking and fast action, the referral was made in a timely manner. The ED was able to consult with LifeCenter Northwest to stabilize the patient, who was a registered donor. The patient went on to be admitted to the ICU and to save lives through organ donation. This outcome was possible because Danielle O’Toole, RN was attentive to her surroundings and what was occurring in the ED. She immediately thought of how she could aid in preserving the donation opportunity and because of that, she helped save lives.

Thank you, Danielle, for your hard work and dedication!