Laura Kirkendoll
July 2024
Laura
Kirkendoll
,
RN
5 South Oncology
CAMC General Hospital
Charleston
,
WV
United States

 

 

 

Due to her attention to detail and utmost care for the patient and her infant child, we were able to adjust the medications, alert the physician, and safely manage the patient's pain.
Laura Kirkendoll went above and beyond her nursing duties to look out for a patient and her nursing baby. She was going through the patient's medications and happened to know the patient was also breastfeeding. She spotted an issue and alerted us in the pharmacy. We had no way of knowing the patient's breastfeeding status. An opioid for pain had been ordered and would have crossed into the breastmilk and eventually into the baby. This could have led to a disastrous situation. Due to her attention to detail and utmost care for the patient and her infant child, we were able to adjust the medications, alert the physician, and safely manage the patient's pain. She even made sure to check the medicines during surgery and call the pharmacy afterwards to ensure everything was in order before the patient's discharge. How fitting that this all occurred on Mother's Day weekend. Laura also shared that she had 3 children of her own, and this had heightened her awareness of medication complications and breastfeeding. This mother's love went well beyond her own children, and to our patient and her little one here. CAMC is a much better place with this nurse here.