April 2019
Bertram
Hicks
,
RN
Pediatric Transport Team
St. Louis Children's Hospital
St. Louis
,
MO
United States

 

 

 

Bertram and I were on a fixed-wing trip of a very complex neonate who required high-frequency ventilation and nitric oxide. Our nitric oxide delivery system was malfunctioning and would shut off within seconds of being unplugged. We had planned to stop by the mother's inpatient room so that she could see and touch her baby before we left for SLCH. Our nitric delivery system complicated this, significantly. While I tried to troubleshoot by calling the OSH's transport team to see if their delivery system was similar to ours, Bertram found an auxiliary power unit that would power our nitric delivery long enough for us to visit this patient's mother and then return to the NICU. Additionally, Bertram facilitated a ground power unit with both the Springfield and St. Louis airports to ensure nitric delivery for this patient during onboarding and offloading times. Bertram went above and beyond, considering needs for this patient in advance and ensuring smooth transport despite a very difficult complication presenting itself. Our patient made it to SLCH without issue, in large part, due to Bertram's quick and resourceful thinking.
Bertram's actions resulted in a mother being able to see and touch her newborn, as well as the safe and efficient transfer of a critically ill neonate.