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Sally Budack — Excellence in Practice Award

Sally Budack is committed to improving nursing practices and patient safety. If she is not answering your texts, she is out riding her motorcycle.

This story appears in 2023 WSNA Recognition Awards .

Presented to an individual to recognize excellence in practice in the direct care of patients/clients. 

Sally Budack is a compassionate caregiver who serves her patients with boatloads of TLC. She has been a preop unit RN at St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma for 33 years, entrusted with the lives of many patients. 

Sally is committed to improving nursing practices and patient safety. She has worked on the nursing safe staffing committee since 2008, responsible for the ADO database, which tracks nursing staff assignments done with objection; there are almost 2,100 ADOs. 

She also identified and corrected major programming errors in Epic, the electronic health record system, and is currently working on creating downtime paper charts to ensure continuity of care during system outages.

In addition to her work as a frontline nurse, Sally has also been involved in WSNA. She serves on various committees, including the Occupational Environmental Health & Safety Committee, and as a local unit officer. 

Sally's dedication to her profession extends beyond the hospital walls. She has been advocating for pedestrian safety, and having sidewalks repaired around the hospital.  

If she is not answering your texts, she is out riding her motorcycle.