Caitlyn Yarbrough
January 2015
Caitlyn
Yarbrough
,
RN
Pediatric Critical Care
Medical Center, Navicent Health
Macon
,
GA
United States

 

 

 

When we think of great nursing moments our thoughts are usually about some great life saving event where a patient is near death and through extraordinary efforts, the patient survives. However, there are many great nursing moments that take place in very different circumstances. Many times when a patient has survived a near catastrophic illness or injury the return to health is a difficult journey for the pediatric patient and family and actually requires more intensive nursing care than the critical phase of that illness/injury.

Caitlyn is a nurse who can manage the crisis events in a patient's life but also provide that same level of intensive care to the rehab phase of their recovery. One young infant spent many months in both the PICU and PIMCU and Caitlyn cared for him many times. She would hold him at the desk in PIMCU while she charted. Two months after being discharged home he was readmitted to the PICU. When he heard her voice out in the hall he started to squeal with excitement. It was a priceless moment.

Another young patient suffered severe trauma from a motor vehicle crash and has spent an extensive amount of time in the Pediatric Critical Care units. During that time Caitlyn has cared for him in both the ICU and IMCU. Once the patient stabilized, it became obvious that he would survive his injuries but with significant body changes. She worked with him extensively to help him learn to be a child again.

This young boy appeared very sad and afraid most of the time. Caitlyn would go into his room and sit at his bedside and do much of her charting so he would not be alone and afraid. Everyone tried their best to ease his fears but it was to Caitlyn that he gave his first smile when she won him over with a real teenage ninja turtle outfit. After 2 months in the ICU he was all smiles when she came in on her off day to take him trick or treating on Halloween through the hospital. She wanted to make sure he had a nurse with him so that he could begin to experience some normal childhood things. He was all smiles for her. She has worked with him on school work and other important cognitive and physical tasks to push his recovery. While he was in the PIMCU he would ask "is she working" every day. Many nurses and other disciplines have been involved in the care of this child, but our DAISY Nurse Caitlyn, is the extraordinary nurse who has helped him start learning to be a child again and accept his new body image.

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Caitlyn is consistent, kind, and loving. She recently helped another family through the difficult process of a child's traumatic death and organ donation. The family was so overwhelmed by her compassion and kindness that they went to Dr. S to make sure she knew about the care the family received from this nurse.

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She has been an amazing patient advocate. She exemplifies every attribute of what it means to be a DAISY nurse. We are privileged to have Caitlyn Yarbrough, RN, as a part of the Pediatric Critical Care team and Medical Center, Navicent Health.