Ryann Cassidy

Ryann is congratulated by Mary Stowe, RN, MS, NEA-BC, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer.

Ryann Cassity is a shining example of her excellence in patient care and her compassion demonstrated with each shift. Ryann has adapted well to a very fast paced, complex, specialized area of pediatric nursing. With less than 3 months of caring for the complex transplant patient population, she quickly demonstrated her knowledge and patience.

She recently cared for a patient at the start of his transplant experience and was questioned "what is the transplant going to be like?" Recognizing the child's age of 6 years old, she set out to describe the experience as a storm. She told him that it would be hard and very bad at times, but to remember that every storm ends with a rainbow. She knew she couldn't change the events coming, but could somehow impact how he handled them.

Thirty-five days into the storm this child hit a very bad time with extreme pain. He had paracentesis drains placed that were extremely painful. Along with extensive pain management, child life was asked to come help him. They asked him to draw his pain. He drew himself with dark browns and blacks around his stomach area and then bright rainbow colors on his face and chest area. When child life asked to explain the picture, he said that my stomach feels like a bad storm and as he pointed to the bright colors he stated that this nurse said that at the end of every storm is a rainbow.

Ryann was able to help this child process this lengthy procedure and deal with the hard times ahead knowing that there would be a rainbow at the end. She was honest with the things he was going to endure, but empowered him and gave him the strength he needed to get through it. We often think that children don't listen or don't get it, but clearly he understood the message she was sharing with him and the impact it had on his processing and coping with difficult events. Ryann took the extra time to be honest with him and she was comfortable and confident with her limited knowledge that they as a team would get him through this.

Besides this example, Ryann comes to work every day with a positive attitude and a true desire to work. She takes assignments as a challenge and a gift to use her skills. In talking with families they often mention her as one of their favorites. She has come so far in such a short amount of time and I am honored to have her on my team.