Christine
Ballard
May 2026
Christine
Ballard
,
MSN, RN, CCRN
PIH Good Samaritan Hospital
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States
Her ability to lead, teach, and support simultaneously exemplifies the very essence of nursing excellence.
A recent ICU admission in ICU 27 was found to be actively and profusely bleeding, requiring an emergent EGD. In true ICU fashion, the entire team mobilized rapidly, working in sync with a singular focus on saving the patient's life.
Over the course of the event, the patient experienced massive blood loss, requiring extensive resuscitation, including 18 units of blood, 4 units of FFP, 2 units of cryoprecipitate, and 2 units of platelets.
What set this situation apart was the continuous need for management of the rapid infuser. Throughout the resuscitation efforts, our ICU Educator, Christine, stepped into this critical role, remaining at the patient's bedside for more than five hours, expertly managing the rapid infuser without pause. Her clinical expertise ensured the safe and effective delivery of life-saving blood products during an incredibly high-risk situation.
Beyond her technical expertise, she served as a steady and encouraging presence for the entire ICU team. She provided real-time guidance, anticipated next steps, and consistently advocated for the patient. Her ability to lead, teach, and support simultaneously exemplifies the very essence of nursing excellence.
Beyond these extraordinary actions, over the past year, she has continued to make a tremendous impact on our department. In addition to developing our Transitional Cohorts, she is an integral member of our Policy and Procedure Committee and has spearheaded education for several new critical care competencies, including the Intraosseous Course and Competency and the Pericardial Drain Competency.
She has also designed and completed comprehensive educational modules for our nurses covering:
She is currently working to ensure our critical care staff is fully trained on the Level 1 Rapid Infuser should another emergency of this magnitude occur.
Despite these many responsibilities, she also finds time to produce the Critical Care Newsletter, ensuring the much-anticipated critical care quizzes remain engaging, educational, and fresh with every publication.
Her unwavering commitment to education, clinical excellence, patient advocacy, and staff development has strengthened our ICU in countless ways. She consistently leads by example, elevates those around her, and exemplifies the very best of the nursing profession.
Over the course of the event, the patient experienced massive blood loss, requiring extensive resuscitation, including 18 units of blood, 4 units of FFP, 2 units of cryoprecipitate, and 2 units of platelets.
What set this situation apart was the continuous need for management of the rapid infuser. Throughout the resuscitation efforts, our ICU Educator, Christine, stepped into this critical role, remaining at the patient's bedside for more than five hours, expertly managing the rapid infuser without pause. Her clinical expertise ensured the safe and effective delivery of life-saving blood products during an incredibly high-risk situation.
Beyond her technical expertise, she served as a steady and encouraging presence for the entire ICU team. She provided real-time guidance, anticipated next steps, and consistently advocated for the patient. Her ability to lead, teach, and support simultaneously exemplifies the very essence of nursing excellence.
Beyond these extraordinary actions, over the past year, she has continued to make a tremendous impact on our department. In addition to developing our Transitional Cohorts, she is an integral member of our Policy and Procedure Committee and has spearheaded education for several new critical care competencies, including the Intraosseous Course and Competency and the Pericardial Drain Competency.
She has also designed and completed comprehensive educational modules for our nurses covering:
- Hemodynamics
- CABG management
- Pacemakers
- Impella
- Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)
- End-of-life care
She is currently working to ensure our critical care staff is fully trained on the Level 1 Rapid Infuser should another emergency of this magnitude occur.
Despite these many responsibilities, she also finds time to produce the Critical Care Newsletter, ensuring the much-anticipated critical care quizzes remain engaging, educational, and fresh with every publication.
Her unwavering commitment to education, clinical excellence, patient advocacy, and staff development has strengthened our ICU in countless ways. She consistently leads by example, elevates those around her, and exemplifies the very best of the nursing profession.