May 2026 Honoree
One Heart, Many Lives: Compassion in Crisis
Cally Buzzar, RN • Laurie Carlyle, RN • Kelly Noonan, RN • Dia Law, RN • Tia Hill, RN • Jada Lameka, RN • Oyin Martins, RN • Amber Luttrell, RN • Silvey Rosser, RN • Tammy Powers, RN • Emily Shrontz, RN • Chaka Waide • Rebecca Burkett, MSN, CNOR • Dr. Femi Ajibade
I wanted to reach out to you regarding a surgical procedure that took place in the OR today. We got a call from Dr. Ajibade that we were getting an emergent add-on for a ruptured ectopic pregnancy coming from the Emergency Department. The procedure ended up being a repair of a uterine rupture with a 19-week fetus.
Needless to say, this was something we don't see or deal with every day, so there were quite a few questions and concerns about how to handle everything. I wanted to take the time to recognize some team members who were beyond helpful and very much appreciated in the OR today.
OR/PACU Team
The OR nurse caring for this patient was Jada. Another OR nurse, Oyin, assisted Jada during the whole process. Oyin, who is still in orientation for the OR but has a background in women's health, jumped right in to help without being asked. It was an absolute blessing for the patient to be part of the team.
She comforted the patient, who was understandably very upset and fearful. She held her hand and gave her words of comfort and peace before going under anesthesia for the procedure.
Once the baby was delivered, Jada had the idea to obtain footprints and a memory box for the patient. As this is not something the main OR regularly deals with, it probably wouldn't have been considered had Jada not brought it up.
Once everything was taken care of and the patient was taken to PACU, Jada also helped monitor and provide precious care for the baby until a plan was in place for how to proceed.
The PACU team also prepped this patient when she came over from the ED. Amid the controlled chaos of preparing for an emergent case, the PACU team was instrumental in providing comfort to the patient during her difficult time. They were able to provide wonderful patient care without missing a beat, handling blood orders, communicating with the surgeon & OR, and all other nursing tasks. Their teamwork on this day was outstanding.
Laurie also cared for this patient after surgery, and the care was equivalent to that the patient received preoperatively.
L&D Team
Chaka was here from the time we found out about the case, helping to ensure we had everything we needed and lending a hand. Once the procedure started, she was there to obtain anything Dr. Ajibade needed that wasn't supplied in the OR, such as a specific suture.
Then, once the baby was delivered, she went up to L&D and got a bereavement/memory box, brought it to the OR, and helped the OR staff obtain footprints for the mom. She brought an infant hat and baby blankets as well. Her help today was beyond what was required of her and so very much appreciated.
Once the procedure was finishing up, I went to PACU to inform them of what was going on and ask what questions they had. We talked about the process for everything going on, and they raised concerns about having the baby brought to PACU.
Considering that PACU is not a private area and there are other patients around, we all agreed that we needed to wait to bring the baby to mom until mom got to her room.
At this point, we were told by Dr. Ajibade that the patient would be admitted to the regular floor, not to L&D. Knowing that this isn't a common thing for floor nurses to handle either, I then decided to go to L&D and see if I could get some clarification and help on what steps to follow regarding the process for the baby.
Tammie and Emily were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful! They answered questions that I didn't even know how to ask. Not only did they help me figure out a plan and make sure all the proper steps were followed, but they also offered to go to the patient's room when she came up from PACU to ensure she and the baby were taken care of from a post-partum/fetal demise standpoint.
Once the patient was in PACU, I brought the baby up to L&D 1, where I met Silvie, the nurse who would be caring for the patient. She was also very knowledgeable and took the time to show me how to use a cooling bassinet. In the event that the OR is ever in this situation again, we would know that it is an option and how to use it.
Every single L&D staff member we encountered today went above and beyond their expected duties. I cannot express to you how much we appreciate your team's generous help today. It was a perfect example of camaraderie, teamwork, and doing the right thing for our shared goal: exceptional patient care.
STAT
In the midst of my communication with Tammie and Emily, I had a conversation with PACU & Ajibade about admitting the patient to the floor. PACU then communicated to Amber, who then spoke with Dr. Ajibade.
Amber not only advocated for the patient but also for the nursing staff by asking Dr. Ajibade to do what was right and safest for everyone involved. She convinced Dr. Ajibade to change her mind and admit the patient to L&D.
The information above was provided by Cally Buzzar, our OR coordinator extraordinaire. From the moment our OR coordinator, Cally Buzzar, found out about this case, she jumped into action. She ensured the room was quickly set up and prepared for the add-on procedure. She helped coordinate care, acted as a liaison, and even went and picked up the patient personally.
Through the collaborative care of the patients, their families, and each other, this team exemplified the very core values Wellstar represents. They deserved recognition for all their efforts in turning a very scary and serious situation into a well-oiled machine.
They focused not only on ensuring the patient's safety but also on providing the utmost support and compassion. I am so proud to work at Wellstar and alongside these individuals.
Needless to say, this was something we don't see or deal with every day, so there were quite a few questions and concerns about how to handle everything. I wanted to take the time to recognize some team members who were beyond helpful and very much appreciated in the OR today.
OR/PACU Team
The OR nurse caring for this patient was Jada. Another OR nurse, Oyin, assisted Jada during the whole process. Oyin, who is still in orientation for the OR but has a background in women's health, jumped right in to help without being asked. It was an absolute blessing for the patient to be part of the team.
She comforted the patient, who was understandably very upset and fearful. She held her hand and gave her words of comfort and peace before going under anesthesia for the procedure.
Once the baby was delivered, Jada had the idea to obtain footprints and a memory box for the patient. As this is not something the main OR regularly deals with, it probably wouldn't have been considered had Jada not brought it up.
Once everything was taken care of and the patient was taken to PACU, Jada also helped monitor and provide precious care for the baby until a plan was in place for how to proceed.
The PACU team also prepped this patient when she came over from the ED. Amid the controlled chaos of preparing for an emergent case, the PACU team was instrumental in providing comfort to the patient during her difficult time. They were able to provide wonderful patient care without missing a beat, handling blood orders, communicating with the surgeon & OR, and all other nursing tasks. Their teamwork on this day was outstanding.
Laurie also cared for this patient after surgery, and the care was equivalent to that the patient received preoperatively.
L&D Team
Chaka was here from the time we found out about the case, helping to ensure we had everything we needed and lending a hand. Once the procedure started, she was there to obtain anything Dr. Ajibade needed that wasn't supplied in the OR, such as a specific suture.
Then, once the baby was delivered, she went up to L&D and got a bereavement/memory box, brought it to the OR, and helped the OR staff obtain footprints for the mom. She brought an infant hat and baby blankets as well. Her help today was beyond what was required of her and so very much appreciated.
Once the procedure was finishing up, I went to PACU to inform them of what was going on and ask what questions they had. We talked about the process for everything going on, and they raised concerns about having the baby brought to PACU.
Considering that PACU is not a private area and there are other patients around, we all agreed that we needed to wait to bring the baby to mom until mom got to her room.
At this point, we were told by Dr. Ajibade that the patient would be admitted to the regular floor, not to L&D. Knowing that this isn't a common thing for floor nurses to handle either, I then decided to go to L&D and see if I could get some clarification and help on what steps to follow regarding the process for the baby.
Tammie and Emily were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful! They answered questions that I didn't even know how to ask. Not only did they help me figure out a plan and make sure all the proper steps were followed, but they also offered to go to the patient's room when she came up from PACU to ensure she and the baby were taken care of from a post-partum/fetal demise standpoint.
Once the patient was in PACU, I brought the baby up to L&D 1, where I met Silvie, the nurse who would be caring for the patient. She was also very knowledgeable and took the time to show me how to use a cooling bassinet. In the event that the OR is ever in this situation again, we would know that it is an option and how to use it.
Every single L&D staff member we encountered today went above and beyond their expected duties. I cannot express to you how much we appreciate your team's generous help today. It was a perfect example of camaraderie, teamwork, and doing the right thing for our shared goal: exceptional patient care.
STAT
In the midst of my communication with Tammie and Emily, I had a conversation with PACU & Ajibade about admitting the patient to the floor. PACU then communicated to Amber, who then spoke with Dr. Ajibade.
Amber not only advocated for the patient but also for the nursing staff by asking Dr. Ajibade to do what was right and safest for everyone involved. She convinced Dr. Ajibade to change her mind and admit the patient to L&D.
The information above was provided by Cally Buzzar, our OR coordinator extraordinaire. From the moment our OR coordinator, Cally Buzzar, found out about this case, she jumped into action. She ensured the room was quickly set up and prepared for the add-on procedure. She helped coordinate care, acted as a liaison, and even went and picked up the patient personally.
Through the collaborative care of the patients, their families, and each other, this team exemplified the very core values Wellstar represents. They deserved recognition for all their efforts in turning a very scary and serious situation into a well-oiled machine.
They focused not only on ensuring the patient's safety but also on providing the utmost support and compassion. I am so proud to work at Wellstar and alongside these individuals.
Thank you for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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