Sheyla Braddock
June 2015
Sheyla
Braddock
,
BSN, RN
Pediatric ICU
Wolfson Children's Hospital
Jacksonville
,
FL
United States

 

 

 

Sheyla is an amazing PICU nurse and truly one of the most compassionate, caring, holy spirit-filled people you could ever meet. She is a clinical expert who practices nursing with her mind, heart and soul. She is passionate about family centered care and exemplifies everything that Jean Watson has said about the nurse "being the healing environment" for the patient. Sheyla is a bedside nurse that leads by example, coaching and mentoring our newer, less experienced staff as a preceptor, as a Nurse 2 Nurse mentor, and as a kind and welcoming resource for her peers and co-workers. A life-long learner, Sheyla is pursuing an advanced nursing degree and is a strong advocate for evidence-based practice and interdisciplinary collaboration. The goal of her nursing practice is for every patient and family entrusted to her care to receive the very best care of body, mind and spirit.

Sheyla is a great advocate for holistic nursing and goes to great lengths to identify fears and emotions of her patients and their parents and then minister to their minds and spirits, as well as their physical bodies. I am reminded of the many little girls we have transferred to her care in PICU and the little hair bows she has made to put in their hair; how delighted the parents were to see this. Such a little gesture that meant so much.

Another time one of our palliative care patients, a young boy of 12, frightened, terrified spoke about his faith in God; Sheyla told him the bible story about the "mustard seed" to comfort him. The next day she brought him a mustard seed preserved in clear acrylic for him to hold when he was frightened. The child carried this with him throughout his hospitalization and eventual death. Such a comfort for his spirit and then for his family.

I love that she looks at every child and sees their body, mind and spirit; her compassion is boundless. Sheyla nurtures, consoles, ministers, comforts and heals with every fiber of her being every day. She is everything and more that a professional nurse should be: Knowledgeable, skilled, collaborative, compassionate, and caring. The world is a brighter and better place with her in it. She has made a difference in so many lives, including mine.

Thank you Sheyla, for all you do for patients, families and co-workers.