January 2013
Kathryn
Witkowski
,
RN
Emergency Department
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Barrington
,
IL
United States

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I was in the ER at Good Shepherd Hospital to support my friend, JB. She was there with her seven year old son, NB, who got run over by the holiday float in Crystal Lake during a parade and fractured his femur. NB's nurse was Katie. I just wanted to say how Katie made this traumatic event so much calmer and bearable. I was watching Katie and thought to myself that it was obvious she had about 10 years experience specializing with trauma children in the ER. Katie demonstrated such compassion not only for NB, but everyone in the room. Even though NB will never really know how lucky he was to have a nurse like Katie, I sure did! Katie demonstrates every aspect of GSH values. She lead her team with the tasks of caring for NB, showed great nursing skills, kept everyone calm as much as possible, and comforted Noah with a stuffed animal and a soft special blanket. It was obvious Katie was in control of the room and situation!

I was especially watching Katie's skills due to personal experience. When I was 10 years old, I too fractured my femur and remember the experience as one of the scariest moments of my life. I was thinking that poor NB was going through the same traumatic experience as me. The nurses that cared for me all those years ago were the complete opposite of Katie. I remember the nurses screaming at me to stop crying and even calling me a baby. I hope NB doesn't remember much from that night of his injury, but if he does, he will remember that someone (Katie) talked to him to comfort him and gave him a new stuffed toy and blanket to assist in his comfort.

I work at Good Shepherd and I am proud to have met Katie and to witness the gift of compassion she gives to her patients and their families. After the event, I asked Kathleen, the night supervisor, about Katie and she informed me that Katie has been a nurse for a little over a year. Well if this is what Katie demonstrates today, I can imagine where she is going in her nursing career in the years ahead! I know her passion for nursing will always shine! Katie is what our Magnet journey is all about! I am proud to nominate Katie for the DAISY Award!

On behalf of the Burman family and friends, thank God for sending Katie to all of us that day.