My dad was brought to your trauma unit. I am a proud Banner employee for 14 years and there is one RN that made a difference in our lives and exudes the Banner culture we all are working so hard to create. My dad's life was changed forever when that car came barreling down the road and rear-ended him at a high rate of speed. After 45 minutes and some amazing first responders, he was brought to the ER and was quickly treated and transported to the ICU. He was then prepped for emergency surgery to fix the burst fracture of T11 in his back, along with broken ribs, a punctured lung all the while enduring an extraordinary amount of pain.
Effortlessly, Josh Rowin cared for my dad in every way possible. He communicated every single move he made to us. He took the time to listen to every word every specialist, clinician, surgeon, housekeeper, or family member said to keep himself informed and clarify hard to understand information. Josh cared for our family. He made an impact on all of us. He taught us things we would never have known, he eased our hearts and minds in a meaningful way with grace and structure. He made every decision with his head and his heart. He displayed empathy while maintaining a safe space for my dad.
During our first day in the unit, there came a time when my dad was in so much pain that it couldn't be controlled. His breathing was everything at this point, and he just couldn't come out of the pain. He was clenching his fist and holding his breath which made the monitors all beep. My dad was hollering in pain and not breathing. Josh maintained a calm and collected state. He was able to find what worked for my dad and calm him down- who knew it would be some classic rock and roll on the radio? It worked almost immediately and now I know why he took the time to ask my dad so many personal questions. He managed to build a relationship in a short period of time to better treat his patient.
Although this is only one example of Josh's exemplary performance, it lasted in my heart and in the moment, it meant the world to our family and my dad's well-being. Our family can't express enough gratitude for Josh. This young man hands down without a doubt in my mind had a significant impact on saving my dad's life. He wasn't afraid to question the doctor's decisions and help provide alternative solutions to get the best results. He is a leader among his peers. I watched the entire unit use him as a resource every single shift. He never passed any of us in the halls without checking in on us or simply asking how dad was doing. I do not know where this young man is hiding his cape, but I do know he was our hero in the ICU. BDMC should feel fortunate to have such an extraordinary nurse representing them. Josh made it possible to exhale. From every single one of our family members and on behalf of my dad- thank you for Josh.