May 2015
Pediatric
Team
,
RNs and more
PICU
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Pittsburgh
,
PA
United States
This team of nurses in the PICU is on the continuity list for the patient in bed 518.
Rachel McCarrison, BSN, RN, CCRN
Sandra Kitcho, BSN, RN, CCRN,
Ashley Duke, BSN, RN, CCRN,
Amber Grinnell, BSN, RN, CCRN
Joan Doerr, BSN, RN, CCRN
Shaina Thomas, BSN, RN, CCRN
Erin Starks, BSN, RN, CCRN
Karla Persia, BSN, RN, CCRN
Our patient was been in our unit for over 150 days. Many of us become nurse for different reasons and each one of us cares for our patients in a unique and caring way.
When we become nurses we all take the Florence Nightingale Pledge: I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care!
We care for our patients in so many different ways, many of us do this as if they were a member of our own family. This team of PICU nurses does just that each and every day; they truly live the Nightingale Pledge. These nurses for a period of 6 to 9 months were on the continuity list for this patient and for that period every time they came to work they were assigned to this patient. There were many days that 2 nurses were assigned to care for this patient because the care the patient required was too much for just one nurse to keep up with. There were many days I watched 2 nurses go in at the beginning of their shift to care for the patient and it was 4 hours later that they emerged from the room for the first time, only to quickly finish the charting they began inside the room at the computer on wheels, to gather needed supplies and medications not in the room and go right back in for several more hours. There are many days that the look they receive from the patient as to how very much she appreciates the care they give from the bottom of their hearts, then to only be berated by the adopted mother as if the care they have provided is not good enough.
The list of people who could care for her was hand picked by the adopted mother and there are days she shows no appreciation for their kind and caring ways. This mother may not say it but I am sure deep down she does appreciate the work they do, but it's hard for her to see her daughter in the bed day-after-day with one day seeing a glimmer of improvement to only be dashed with little hope the next day. Yet these nurses continue to care for the patient "day in and day out" without even one complaint at the surmounting tasks. These nurses range in experience from novice to seasoned nurse.
These nurses have been with the patient every step of the way, doing what ever it took to attend to her needs, to relieve her of any pain she was in, and trying to make her the most comfortable that they could. All knowing on some days no matter what they did they could not fix what was wrong. When I come into work and see these nurses going to work every day caring for this patient I am reminded of a quote on a poster by Johnson & Johnson promoting the future of nursing. The quote is "I can't have a bad day, complete strangers count on me, today I saved a life"; these nurses truly embody this.
Nurses are there when the patients are born and when they die, when they get bad news and when they get good news. These nurses go above and beyond every single day; many of these days with a heavy heart knowing no matter what they do it may not be good enough. They truly are making a difference in this patient's life, whether they know it or not. They truly amaze me and are true role models and mentors to many of us to follow.
Rachel McCarrison, BSN, RN, CCRN
Sandra Kitcho, BSN, RN, CCRN,
Ashley Duke, BSN, RN, CCRN,
Amber Grinnell, BSN, RN, CCRN
Joan Doerr, BSN, RN, CCRN
Shaina Thomas, BSN, RN, CCRN
Erin Starks, BSN, RN, CCRN
Karla Persia, BSN, RN, CCRN
Our patient was been in our unit for over 150 days. Many of us become nurse for different reasons and each one of us cares for our patients in a unique and caring way.
When we become nurses we all take the Florence Nightingale Pledge: I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully. I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug. I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling. With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care!
We care for our patients in so many different ways, many of us do this as if they were a member of our own family. This team of PICU nurses does just that each and every day; they truly live the Nightingale Pledge. These nurses for a period of 6 to 9 months were on the continuity list for this patient and for that period every time they came to work they were assigned to this patient. There were many days that 2 nurses were assigned to care for this patient because the care the patient required was too much for just one nurse to keep up with. There were many days I watched 2 nurses go in at the beginning of their shift to care for the patient and it was 4 hours later that they emerged from the room for the first time, only to quickly finish the charting they began inside the room at the computer on wheels, to gather needed supplies and medications not in the room and go right back in for several more hours. There are many days that the look they receive from the patient as to how very much she appreciates the care they give from the bottom of their hearts, then to only be berated by the adopted mother as if the care they have provided is not good enough.
The list of people who could care for her was hand picked by the adopted mother and there are days she shows no appreciation for their kind and caring ways. This mother may not say it but I am sure deep down she does appreciate the work they do, but it's hard for her to see her daughter in the bed day-after-day with one day seeing a glimmer of improvement to only be dashed with little hope the next day. Yet these nurses continue to care for the patient "day in and day out" without even one complaint at the surmounting tasks. These nurses range in experience from novice to seasoned nurse.
These nurses have been with the patient every step of the way, doing what ever it took to attend to her needs, to relieve her of any pain she was in, and trying to make her the most comfortable that they could. All knowing on some days no matter what they did they could not fix what was wrong. When I come into work and see these nurses going to work every day caring for this patient I am reminded of a quote on a poster by Johnson & Johnson promoting the future of nursing. The quote is "I can't have a bad day, complete strangers count on me, today I saved a life"; these nurses truly embody this.
Nurses are there when the patients are born and when they die, when they get bad news and when they get good news. These nurses go above and beyond every single day; many of these days with a heavy heart knowing no matter what they do it may not be good enough. They truly are making a difference in this patient's life, whether they know it or not. They truly amaze me and are true role models and mentors to many of us to follow.