Temple University Hospital’s Service Excellence Award recognizes exceptional employees for their dedication to patients and colleagues. And when Tatyana Dulgiyer was honored, she said her achievement was a team effort.
“I keep telling my coworkers that this award is for all of us,” she explains. “These are people who have been doing a wonderful job in nursing education for years. I learned so much from them as a new educator, so I really feel like this is for the team.”
Dedicated to Medicine a World Away
Be that as it may, Dulgiyer also has a lot to be proud of on her own. She came to the United States from Moldova in 2000, having already trained as a Doctor’s Assistant. But in America, she had to start her medical education over—which she did, working first as a Medical Assistant and then a Phlebotomist. At night, she took nursing school classes, then joined Temple University Hospital through the New to Practice program in 2015.
“I had a couple of interviews at other hospitals, but when I interviewed at Temple, it felt like home,” Dulgiyer says. “I just knew this was where I wanted to be. And I still feel the same way, more than seven years later.”
Of course, a few things have changed since then. Dulgiyer has risen to the role of Clinical Specialist in Nursing Education, putting her in charge of education and competencies training for three Med-Surg floors. It was this work—as well as her role on the Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections (CAUTI) Committee—that earned her the Service Excellence Award nomination.
“Her commitment to educating Temple nurses is unequaled,” wrote her nominators, Associate Vice President of Nursing Barbara Cottrell and Senior Clinical Project Manager Jessica McKnight. “She brings true professional attributes to Temple, and genuinely cares about delivering excellent, quality work. She has tackled projects for the CAUTI Committee with a confident, graceful determination.”
Advancing Her Skills and the Nursing Industry
It’s this determination that has continued to push Dulgiyer forward, motivating her to pursue a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Educational Leadership. She’s also just learned that Temple University wants to publish one of her papers: a review of best practices for observing and documenting pain assessment in the ER entitled, “The Effects of Pain Education on Pain Management and Patient Satisfaction.”
Despite all these achievements, Dulgiyer remains humble—and as determined as ever to credit her coworkers. “I’m just grateful for the opportunity to work with them,” she says. She’s especially thankful to those who nominated her for the Service Excellence Award, which has given her validation that she’s “on the right track.”
“Winning this Service Excellence Award is something I’ll carry with me forever,” Dulgiyer adds.