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"This means the difference between weeks to months for a patient waiting for surgery, allowing them to be scheduled sooner."

In less than six months, a UVA Health University Medical Center Outpatient Surgery Center (OPSC) team member has made quite an impression at the Battle Building. And now, UVA Health Chief Pharmacy Officer Danielle Griggs, PharmD, MBA, MS, (below, left) and BEE Award Committee Vice Chair Allisha Shifflett, AEMT, have surprised Megan Smith, CRCST, Instrument Coordinator, Sterile Processing, with a BEE Award for striving for superior outcomes and more.

Haley Hernandez, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC, (below, right) nominated Smith (below, left):

"Megan exhibits exemplary professionalism, kindness, determination, and dependability. Each day, she goes above and beyond standard job requirements to ensure patients, peers, and the Operating Room (OR) team of surgeons, nurses, scrub techs, etc. have what they need to provide the highest quality of patient care.

"Megan began this role in September 2025 and has made a significant positive impact on patient experience in that short time frame. Although her role is not patient facing, her positive impact is obvious to those who understand what it takes to make a procedure go smoothly. Her diligent work has decreased turnaround times, improved first case on time starts, and reduced delays which greatly improves patient experience.

"One way Megan has accomplished this is through the process of organizing thousands of brand new instruments — using them to create new sets requested by surgeons and heads of service. Her innovation in creating new methods of organization has saved the institution time and money. Megan’s organization of instrument carts allowed team members and management the opportunity to inventory what instruments were already in house and what additional instrumentation needed to be ordered.

"Megan is team-oriented — working closely alongside heads of service to purchase and assemble necessary instrumentation, containers, and prevent damage to current instrumentation. When working alongside heads of service, she demonstrates extreme professionalism.

"She's dedicated to learning how an instrument is used and problem solving in the moment. For example, when new instrumentation is assembled or current instrumentation is damaged during transport, Megan is eager to come into the OR and collaborate with surgeons and team members to troubleshoot. Furthermore, if Megan does not have a solution on hand, she works closely with product representatives for instrument sets to find a solution.

"Megan is always ready to lend a hand, often assisting her sterile supply collogues when faced with a challenge. For example, when passing through the Sterile Supply Department, you often see Megan overhearing a request from the OR and immediately jumping in to help her peers without being asked! Megan keeps lines of communication open and helps improve collaboration and teamwork between OR and sterile processing team members.

"Turnaround times for new and replacement instrumentation have decreased significantly because of Megan’s commitment to follow up on purchases and deliveries, as well as her process of organizing deliveries. As a result, more surgeries using similar instrumentation can run concurrently. This means the difference between weeks to months for a patient waiting for surgery, allowing them to be scheduled sooner.

"Although Megan’s role does not provide frontline patient care, her compassion for patients is obvious in this role, ensuring they receive the best care from a surgical perspective. Megan embodies the act of going above and beyond to provide superior patient outcomes. Her pivotal role in this position stands out as having one of the most positive impacts on quality of patient care that I have witnessed in my 11 years as a nurse in this institution! She absolutely deserves this award, as she embodies 'Being Excellent Everyday.'

Know a Deserving Team Member?

The BEE Award recognizes UVA Health University Medical Center team members who work alongside our nurses to impact patients' experiences — just as bees and flowers depend on one another.

Every month, the Nursing Professional Governance Organization (NPGO) honors up to two UVA Health University Medical Center team members with this award. Submit a nomination.