December 2014
Dawn
Funk
,
RN
Critical Care
Meritus Medical Center
Hagerstown
,
MD
United States

 

 

 

Each and every day, I see Dawn give her all to her patients and to her job; however, one day was very special to me. It was a rather busy Saturday in the emergency department and we received a 40-year-old female patient who arrived via EMS with her son, age 15. The patient herself responded poorly to respiratory care and needed to be intubated. The patient's son was asked to leave the room on numerous occasions and was sitting in waiting areas, all alone. The emergency department staff struggled to stabilize the patient. The patient and her son were swept away to critical care. I felt that the son had no emotional support. So, what do you do? You phone a friend! Dawn was the care manager on ICU. I called her and she met the patient's son in the waiting room, explained things, answered questions and took him back to the unit to see his mother. Next thing I know, Dawn is taking the patient's son to lunch in the cafeteria. She may have had a full agenda that day, but she made time to provide the support that he needed. I am so proud to say that I work with her. She showed compassion and understanding to a teenager who was struggling. Thanks so much, Dawn for everything you do every day. You rock!