When you read the mission statement for Loma Linda "To make man whole" - this is what Rita has done so many times. Rita is an NNP in the NICU. One specific event occurred where Rita took a transport call for a sick infant at an outlying facility. The infant was in trouble with falling blood pressures and respiratory distress after a meconium delivery she helped manage the doctor until our NICU team arrived. She jumped in immediately and realized that the infant was in PPHN and have a possible cardiac defect. She called for Pediatric Cardiology; an echo was done but the respiratory status worsened.
Rita talked so gently with the parents and updated them every step of the way. The infant then needed to undergo ECMO and things were so intense and minute-by-minute. She was their consistent person regardless if she was caring for the patient. She made the difference for this family. The infant survived and the parents always come by to thank Rita for her support.