Julia Grissinger is a major asset to the Breathing Institute and exemplifies excellent clinical nursing to patients and families around the world. There are many examples of the great work Julia does with the Interstitial Lung Disease population, with Spanish speaking families, and the dedication she has in her role as a charge nurse. However, one example stands out among the rest as a summarization of all that Julia does.
Julia spent days and weeks to help a family from Qatar get their child with severe asthma here for evaluation and treatment. A SEED sent by our operations supervisor excellently describes the work Julia did: "…You spent countless hours ensuring this patient and family from Qatar received the best care and outcomes possible. You completed many non-clinical tasks to ensure financial outcomes and communication between the care team and the embassy were clear. Without your ownership and expertise, this process would not have been as seamless as it was. Thank you for everything you did not only for the family but for the organization as a whole".
As the SEED mentions, Julia went above and beyond to help coordinate getting the patient here, but even more than that, Julia created an environment for this patient and his family to feel welcome, heard, and cared for. One of the providers Julia worked closely with for this patient stated: "Julia was always very welcoming, greeting the family warmly and made sure that they were comfortable". During the month that the patient was here, Julia helped to coordinate seven visits and a procedure for the family. She ensured that the family received the education needed to care for the patient's asthma at home. The family repeatedly expressed gratitude to Julia and the team here for their thorough care. Julia ensured there would be continuity of care once the patient returned home by ensuring that every clinical note was sent off to the Qatar embassy and the patient's pulmonologist at his home. Both the family and their physician in Qatar have kept in touch since returning home, providing updates on how the patient is doing.
Dr. S was the physician overseeing this patient's care and treatment plan. He said, "Julia is pleasant to work with and thinks ahead. She always had laboratory test results available and worked to make visits run smoothly including finding the right room to accommodate longer visits. She arranged tests and made sure the family knew exactly where and when to go. Visits went very smoothly because of her planning ahead".
This patient came to Children's Hospital Colorado for his asthma care because of the reputation that the Breathing Institute has around the world. Julia provided nursing care for this family that lived up to and exceeded the care that was expected to be given. Julia is an example of all that Children's Hospital Colorado strives to be with her humble expertise, generous service, and boundless creativity. This experience is just one example of the way she provides this care day in and day out.