August 2017
Joan
Heath
,
RN
Infection Prevention
Seattle Children's
Seattle
,
WA
United States
Joan has been a nurse here at Children's for approximately 17 years. Her work here has not been at the forefront. She has not been at a bedside caring for sick children. Instead, Joan has been in the background, making sure that we provide the safest care to our sick children, keep them safe from harm and also taking care of our staff by providing protection from exposure to the children they care for.
Joan is an Infection Preventionist and as the Director of this department has truly shaped the world of infection prevention here at Seattle Children's. Her main priority every day is to keep children safe from harm, keep staff safe in this very high acuity and challenging environment and provide leadership and consultation to our hospital, our community and our peer institutions.
Joan is the one at the table, pushing for the right work to be done, willing to roll up her sleeves and get into the weeds to get work done. She knows the value of family centered care yet performs the delicate dance of providing this while keeping everyone safe.
When things occur in this institution that are major events, Joan is at the table helping to lead and develop the response and next steps. When I think back to our event a year ago, and recall the many times I heard her on the phone with distraught, angry or scared families, I realize just how empathetic, kind and compassionate she is. She has a natural ability to find the balance between this compassion and empathy and stay true to the principles of infection prevention.
I remember a family meeting, soon after I started in this role. The family had a child with a very significant cardiac history and was colonized with a resistant organism. They spoke very little English and so wanted to have the sibling at the hospital. I watched Joan and the heartfelt kindness she radiated at this care conference. In that moment, I realized it wasn't truly the answer that was going to be given but how it was presented. Joan worked beautifully with this family.
Joan has done so much, but always with the basic principle of do no harm and how do we make it better. It speaks to nursing at a different level. Thank you, Joan, for all that you do.
Joan is an Infection Preventionist and as the Director of this department has truly shaped the world of infection prevention here at Seattle Children's. Her main priority every day is to keep children safe from harm, keep staff safe in this very high acuity and challenging environment and provide leadership and consultation to our hospital, our community and our peer institutions.
Joan is the one at the table, pushing for the right work to be done, willing to roll up her sleeves and get into the weeds to get work done. She knows the value of family centered care yet performs the delicate dance of providing this while keeping everyone safe.
When things occur in this institution that are major events, Joan is at the table helping to lead and develop the response and next steps. When I think back to our event a year ago, and recall the many times I heard her on the phone with distraught, angry or scared families, I realize just how empathetic, kind and compassionate she is. She has a natural ability to find the balance between this compassion and empathy and stay true to the principles of infection prevention.
I remember a family meeting, soon after I started in this role. The family had a child with a very significant cardiac history and was colonized with a resistant organism. They spoke very little English and so wanted to have the sibling at the hospital. I watched Joan and the heartfelt kindness she radiated at this care conference. In that moment, I realized it wasn't truly the answer that was going to be given but how it was presented. Joan worked beautifully with this family.
Joan has done so much, but always with the basic principle of do no harm and how do we make it better. It speaks to nursing at a different level. Thank you, Joan, for all that you do.