Donna Hartless
April 2021
Donna
Hartless
,
RN
Infusion Center
Centra
LYNCHBURG
,
VA
United States

 

 

 

Donna's insights and sensitivity led her to take the extra step to offer these additional resources to the patient which I believe will help her to have a healthier pregnancy and pave the way for best parenting.
Donna Hartless has been a dedicated nurse at Centra for many years. She has worked in the Infusion Center, previously known as OPD, and currently helps in the High-Risk clinic. In the outpatient setting, Donna has been a proactive advocate for patients experiencing pregnancy loss through miscarriage and ectopic. She pursued special perinatal grief training years ago, and has continued to provide comprehensive, compassionate care to patients and families experiencing pregnancy loss. She has modeled care for new employees on her unit. Frequently, she has sent an email or left a voicemail giving a little bit more helpful information than the referral mechanism might allow. Her focus always is on making sure the patient gets a follow-up contact if desired and receives sensitive care while in the hospital outpatient department. She is attentive to recognizing when RTS Bereavement resources are getting low and requests replacements. She is always receptive to reminders for her unit to be compliant with documentation and referrals and maintains a contagious positive attitude. I have long appreciated her service and the difference she makes in the lives of her patients and co-workers.

Last week, while working in the High-Risk Clinic setting, she cared for a patient with a complicated twin pregnancy in which one of the babies died in utero a few months ago. Donna acknowledged the loss with sensitivity and offered an RTS referral for helping her cope with the challenge of balancing grief for the loss of one twin and hope for the surviving twin and continued pregnancy. Rarely do even the expert specialists and providers consider this option when making such a diagnosis. Donna's insights and sensitivity led her to take the extra step to offer these additional resources to the patient which I believe will help her to have a healthier pregnancy and pave the way for best parenting. Small interventions can have major impact, and the exponential accumulated effect of Donna's countless small interventions over the years are outstanding.