Olive Yoo is a bright spot on the Neuroscience floor and is respected by patients and peers alike. Olive made a special contribution to one family that has been on the Neuroscience floor for several weeks. She took extra time to discuss the young man’s devastating diagnosis with the patient’s Mother, who does not speak English, and did this in her native language. This family had a conflict wherein the patient’s siblings wanted to move toward comfort care, while his Mother wanted to continue full medical intervention. Olive spent extra time explaining the patient’s prognosis to the Mother, and as a result, the Mother began to open up to the Neuro staff and her own family members. She also became more realistic about her expectations for her son.
Olive, through her ability to listen to a Mother’s heart, and her gentle honest approach to the family, was able to bridge a rift that no Physician had been able to reach over the previous several weeks. Olive volunteered to lead an important family meeting by facilitating and translating for the family, and the Neuroscience Doctors were most appreciative.