Melissa Bui
March 2026
Melissa
Bui
,
MSN, RN, CPN
Medical Unit
Rady Children's Health- Orange County
Orange
,
CA
United States
Melissa’s quick actions led to my son receiving the proper care that he desperately needed.
My son was receiving care at CHOC 4 East. His nurse, Melissa, demonstrated excellence and compassion while working with urgency to address his medical needs.
At only 5 months old, my son has complex medical diagnoses, including chronic kidney disease, lung disease, and a rare liver disease - a few of the very long list of his diagnoses. He is normally a calm baby who doesn’t make a lot of fuss, only when in pain or when he has a dirty diaper. He typically is easy to soothe by simply picking him up and giving him cuddles, or playing his favorite music machine.
He had a GJ tube placed that was done successfully, yet he was exhibiting signs of discomfort, crying out in pain, whimpering, thrashing, kicking his legs, and even squirming while in my arms. He was more difficult to appease or soothe prior to the procedure, and throughout the night after the procedure, he was barely getting rest or sleep because his discomfort was increasing. Additionally, he was working hard to breathe despite his oxygen saturation being above 90%.
Though I continually expressed my concern for my son's discomfort, the night nurse attributed it to the GJ tube procedure and helped with pain management with various PRNs.
The next morning, Melissa began her day shift, meeting me as I held my son, attempting to calm and soothe him amid his extreme discomfort. She recognized that he seemed to be in pain and was quick to ask questions about his state, how he was presenting, and what his baseline was. Melissa heard my concerns, took his vitals, and observed how he was responding.
Melissa noted that my son's response was not normal and immediately brought in her charge nurse to conduct an assessment. The PICU response team was called and provided intervention steps. Ultimately, my son was transferred to the PICU and needed to be intubated.
Melissa’s quick actions led to my son receiving the proper care that he desperately needed. I am deeply grateful for Melissa - for listening to my concerns and for her sense of urgency when caring for him. My description of what happened does not do Melissa justice - it is a small glimpse into what she did, but her impact is immense.
Thank you, Melissa!
At only 5 months old, my son has complex medical diagnoses, including chronic kidney disease, lung disease, and a rare liver disease - a few of the very long list of his diagnoses. He is normally a calm baby who doesn’t make a lot of fuss, only when in pain or when he has a dirty diaper. He typically is easy to soothe by simply picking him up and giving him cuddles, or playing his favorite music machine.
He had a GJ tube placed that was done successfully, yet he was exhibiting signs of discomfort, crying out in pain, whimpering, thrashing, kicking his legs, and even squirming while in my arms. He was more difficult to appease or soothe prior to the procedure, and throughout the night after the procedure, he was barely getting rest or sleep because his discomfort was increasing. Additionally, he was working hard to breathe despite his oxygen saturation being above 90%.
Though I continually expressed my concern for my son's discomfort, the night nurse attributed it to the GJ tube procedure and helped with pain management with various PRNs.
The next morning, Melissa began her day shift, meeting me as I held my son, attempting to calm and soothe him amid his extreme discomfort. She recognized that he seemed to be in pain and was quick to ask questions about his state, how he was presenting, and what his baseline was. Melissa heard my concerns, took his vitals, and observed how he was responding.
Melissa noted that my son's response was not normal and immediately brought in her charge nurse to conduct an assessment. The PICU response team was called and provided intervention steps. Ultimately, my son was transferred to the PICU and needed to be intubated.
Melissa’s quick actions led to my son receiving the proper care that he desperately needed. I am deeply grateful for Melissa - for listening to my concerns and for her sense of urgency when caring for him. My description of what happened does not do Melissa justice - it is a small glimpse into what she did, but her impact is immense.
Thank you, Melissa!