June 2020
Frances
Heimgartner
,
RN
Stratford Emergecy Department
Jefferson Health New Jersey
Stratford
,
NJ
United States
A 7-month-old baby girl was brought into the ED unresponsive. She was found by her parents in her crib and transported to ST ED by EMS. All the efforts by our team of Drs. and nurses to resuscitate the baby girl failed and she was pronounced. The staff was visibly shaken by the tragedy of losing this precious life. The ED had been extremely busy that night and Frances, who was not the RN assigned to this baby, saw the parents who were hysterical and stepped into comfort and console them as much as possible in this situation. She stayed with the mom and dad, held their hands while they cried and held their now-deceased baby girl. Frances offered comfort, kindness, and sympathy for this young couple going through the most horrific tragedy of losing their baby daughter. She stayed with the mom and dad consoling them for hours. She only left their side to get whatever the couple needed or wanted. She sat with them through the arrival of the Medical Examiner, the prosecutor, and other people involved. Frances not only showed compassion for the loss of this couple's baby, but she also took it upon herself to make a tragedy a little more bearable for the parents experiencing the worst moments of their lives. Frances is an outstanding nurse and person. She lives Jefferson's values and proves it every day. She is one of the best of the best!