CRNA Jaime Kobs is this year’s Extraordinary Nurse from the UNMC Department of Anesthesiology. Kobs was nominated by her peers and selected by department leaders for the honor.
Kobs joined the department in 2015, having previously worked as a care tech in the operating room and as a registered nurse in the pediatric ICU. She has served on the SRNA Education Committee for the past four years, ensuring student registered nurse anesthetists learn the skills they need to become safe and caring clinicians.
Nominators and supervisors applauded her success with SRNAs, noting that her contributions likely influenced some students to pursue employment with Nebraska Medicine. Additionally, nominators said, Kobs works hard to find new ways to stimulate learning — such as using the simulation lab to further the skills of the students.
“She is invested in students’ emotional and mental well-being and initiated a quarterly meeting to discuss issues and address concerns that new they have when entering clinicals,” one nominator said.
Above all, colleagues said Kobs is exceptionally kind and compassionate to both her patients and colleagues.
Two colleague testimonials:
“Jaime often volunteers to stay late so that others may go home. She is hard-working and provides some of the very best patient care. I always see her sitting at the patient’s bedside in preop, giving all the assurance patients need prior to surgery. She makes it seem like she has all the time in the world with them to answer all their questions and to make them feel as comfortable as possible.”
“She is also a great CRNA advocate. She is passionate about standing up for us not only at work in the day-to-day things, but for our profession.”