August 2016
Anna
Camp
,
MSN, RN
ICU
Meritus Medical Center
Hagerstown
,
MD
United States
My daughter K was recently hospitalized post-colon surgery. She has been disabled since birth - nonverbal, quadriplegia; seizure disorder, respiratory problems including asthma and tube fed - not an easy patient on a good day! During her stay, everything deteriorated when her central line became infected. She continued to have a fever even when a second line (her last chance) was placed. Anna cared for K at this point. We still needed access to administer antibiotics to kill the infection in her bloodstream, so Anna removed the second infected line, but not until she had placed a peripheral IV - and we had access! K's fever vanished! Her infectious disease doctor was so pleased. He asked what doctor had accomplished all of this - I said, "It wasn't a doctor, but Anna! The care she provided was so good - K's hair was washed twice and beautifully braided during Anna's care of her. Every patient needs an Anna!"