February 2017
Breanna
Altice
,
BSN, RN, CPN
Pediatric Hematology Oncology Clinic
Carilion Clinic Roanoke Campus
Roanoke
,
VA
United States

 

 

 

Bre was new to our family when she came on board at the pediatric hematology/oncology clinic where two of our six children are treated for a rare chronic disorder that requires blood transfusions and extensive lab work every 3-4 weeks. Due to the rare nature of the disorder, the change in nursing staff made us nervous. However, Bre was immediately comforting with her knowledge, genuine care that exceeds typical line of duty, and her devotion to serving our children.
Since first meeting Bre, she has served our children diligently. She triple checks every dose, lab, and bag of blood to ensure there are no errors and made connections that will last the lifetime of our children; earning their trust through painful and difficult procedures. When equipment malfunctions such as tubing or the pump for transfusions, Bre has worked hard to ameliorate the problem while preserving the precious donor blood our children need in order to ensure they receive every milliliter of the unit they were ordered. On a few occasions, this meant she sat squared below the line in order to thread out air bubbles but so as not to loose the entire line of blood. She carefully and meticulously removed each air bubble, preserving the blood in between. All the time, using careful caution with sterilizing. We know she could have easily drained out the entire section of blood with air in the line, saving her the time and hassle but she understood how vital every drop is to our children in extending their overall lifelong health and did not hesitate to take on the delicate task. This is but one example of the many like it that Bre exhibits each visit.
She has established child-friendly routines with each of our little ones, making what would be a traumatic experience at each visit actually a fun and comfortable event they even look forward to. We are incredibly thankful for the time, care, and attention that Bre gives to our children's care consistently. We are deeply comforted knowing someone with the experience, knowledge, and compassion she displays is supporting the lives of our children. Our gratitude for her above and beyond service will never be able to be summed up into words but we hope this gives a small glimpse into the Bre that our children and our family have come to love.