June 2016
Ann Lorraine
Stephenson
,
RN
Medical Unit
Seattle Children's
Seattle
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

Ann was our daughter's day time nurse when she was admitted to Children's with a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes. Throughout the turmoil of the first few days with this life change, Ann was with our family every step of the way. She provided exceptional care with a smile. She was devoted to educating us in how to manage our daughter's condition and we left feeling confident we could take care of her at home. She let us practice diabetes management, while providing us invaluable advice. Ann went above and beyond in building a special relationship with my daughter, which made a difficult situation somewhat easier to manage. Her cheerful and caring attitude was the bright spot in our stay. She was persistent in her efforts to connect us with Child Life, even over a weekend, and managed to arrange a visit prior to our discharge. My family will be forever grateful to Ann for the support she gave us during a very difficult time.
***
Ann recently took care of a patient who was considered very challenging by the care team. The child had communication impairments and many medically complex issues. Although he appeared delayed, Ann persistently reminded all members of the care team that the patient was actually quite bright and able to perform difficult tasks, such as taking computers apart and successfully putting them back together merely because he enjoyed the challenging task. Ann insisted that everyone who entered the patient's room not only treat him with respect, but acknowledge his attributes.
Ann was a very strong advocate for her patient and I believe that he had a better hospital stay and better health outcomes due to her advocacy. She is a compassionate and caring nurse.