June 2013
Lu
Stewart
,
MSN, RN, CPEN-BC
West Campus Urgent Care
Children's Hospital Colorado
Aurora
,
CO
United States
There is a day that I will never forget and it is all because of the kind and caring heart of LuAnne Stewart, a nurse at Children's Hospital Colorado, Wheat Ridge. She was the saving grace to both a mother and child in a time of need. I have worked with Lu for 5 years now and have seen how wonderful of a nurse she is; but one day she went over and above and enhanced my view of what a great nurse is and should be.
We had a mother and baby in the facility months back and everyone could tell that this mother was at wits end. This child seemed to scream non-stop until Lu stepped in. One could tell that he was extremely uncomfortable. I was getting ready to do a chest x-ray on the child and Lu offered to help. While in the room we could see that the mother was crying and very distraught, she was not losing her patience with her child but you could see distress in her. Lu was very helpful with the baby and tried to calm the mother.
When we were finished with the x-ray, Lu asked if she could hold the baby. The mother quickly and willingly gave him to Lu. Lu took the baby for a walk around the facility and calmed the child. When taking the mother back to her room we told her that if she would like to take a little break since Lu was walking the baby she was more than welcome to do so. We figured that the mom obviously needed a little time to herself. The mother took the opportunity and went for a walk. Lu walked the baby for about 20 minutes and got him to sleep. When the mother returned Lu spent some time in the room with her (still holding the child), talking to her about different things she could try to help the baby when he was fussy and upset. Lu was very kind and non-judgmental with her. By the time that Lu had left the room, the mother looked to be in a better state of being and the baby was by far much more calm and relaxed.
Lu definitely intervened, calmed both the child and the mother, educated the mother and hopefully gave her some confidence and helpful information that she didn't have when she came to the facility.
We had a mother and baby in the facility months back and everyone could tell that this mother was at wits end. This child seemed to scream non-stop until Lu stepped in. One could tell that he was extremely uncomfortable. I was getting ready to do a chest x-ray on the child and Lu offered to help. While in the room we could see that the mother was crying and very distraught, she was not losing her patience with her child but you could see distress in her. Lu was very helpful with the baby and tried to calm the mother.
When we were finished with the x-ray, Lu asked if she could hold the baby. The mother quickly and willingly gave him to Lu. Lu took the baby for a walk around the facility and calmed the child. When taking the mother back to her room we told her that if she would like to take a little break since Lu was walking the baby she was more than welcome to do so. We figured that the mom obviously needed a little time to herself. The mother took the opportunity and went for a walk. Lu walked the baby for about 20 minutes and got him to sleep. When the mother returned Lu spent some time in the room with her (still holding the child), talking to her about different things she could try to help the baby when he was fussy and upset. Lu was very kind and non-judgmental with her. By the time that Lu had left the room, the mother looked to be in a better state of being and the baby was by far much more calm and relaxed.
Lu definitely intervened, calmed both the child and the mother, educated the mother and hopefully gave her some confidence and helpful information that she didn't have when she came to the facility.