Kerri Rassa, Ashley Lynch, Sammie Newlin, Alyssa Blevins, Mucia Castillo, Yolanda Haughton, Camille Cunnigham, Ciera Wright, Grace Wielicki, Ann Fleming, Holly Harms, Miranda Maile, Lauren Norris
January 2014
Alyssa
Blevins
,
RN
Medical/Pediatrics
Beaufort Memorial Hospital
Beaufort
,
SC
United States

 

 

 

Alyssa was caring for a 16 year old pediatric patient that was admitted to the hospital. She was working the night shift and around 10 p.m. she noticed the patient's dad and brother were visiting in the room and they were visibly exhausted. The family was predominately Spanish speaking so she was communicating via the translator phone in the room. She told them they should go home and get some rest, that they looked tired and that she would "take care of their baby boy". The father was so appreciative and thanked Alyssa for everything she was doing for his son.

Around 3 a.m. the next morning, things started going downhill with the patient so Alyssa notified the dad and brother of what was going on. The patient developed complications and was transferred to a hospital that specialized in pediatrics. Dad and brother arrived to the unit in the midst of all this happening and Alyssa was very supportive and comforting to them. The dad was very upset and crying and kept thanking Alyssa for taking such good care of his son. The dad and brother did not own a vehicle and did not have any way to get to the hospital to check on the status of their son/brother. Alyssa gave them her cell phone number and told them to give her a call if they could not find a ride, that she would gladly drive them to the new hospital located about 60 miles away (being new to the area she didn't really know her way around). After speaking with them, Alyssa stayed on the unit with the pediatrician to review the patients chart and go over what happened.

The brother called Alyssa around 10 a.m. that morning stating that they had tried everything and could still not find a ride. So Alyssa, who still had not slept after working all night, took a friend with her and went and picked up the father and brother and drove them to the hospital where the patient had been transferred.

We feel so privileged to have such a caring and compassionate nurse on the unit who didn't think twice about driving someone, over an hour away, to an area she wasn't familiar with, so a father could be with his son. Alyssa also made a strong connection with the family even with a language and cultural barrier present, which is sometimes hard to do.

Alyssa goes above and beyond every day at work and always puts her patients and families ahead of herself. She is a wonderful nurse and such a compassionate person.