Sarah Leos
May 2021
Sarah
Leos
,
BSN, RN, PHN
Acute Med-Surg (Adult)
Loma Linda University Medical Center
Loma Linda
,
CA
United States
Initially, they refused visitation but with Sarah's persistency, they eventually allowed the patient to see her child.
One day, Sarah Leos worked as Team Lead. I had a patient who had recently delivered a baby via emergency C-section and was admitted directly to the ICU, where she was unable to see her newborn boy who was staying in the NICU. She was downgraded to our unit when it was discovered that she had a terminal illness with not much longer to live. My patient had been chronically fatigued and in constant pain with little to no energy to move. Sarah, who was touched by the patient's story, talked to the patient on a personal level about family and her own children. The patient expressed that she wanted to see her baby before she passes - she did not know how much longer she had to live, but knew this was the thing she wanted before she passed. Previously, the patient had done some Zoom calls with the NICU, but was never given the ability to see her newborn. Sarah took it upon herself, embracing our hospital's mission of "making man whole" and was determined to let this dying mother see her baby.
On Sarah's break, she had asked a nearby Physical Therapist to help get this patient from her bed into a wheelchair. Sarah Leos made it possible to get the patient, and the patient's sister, to the NICU. Per the patient's sister's report, there were difficulties and challenges. Initially, they refused visitation but with Sarah's persistency, they eventually allowed the patient to see her child. The patient's sister said that she had not seen the patient smile and be as happy as she was when she held her baby boy. Returning the patient back to her bed created another problem: the patient had no energy and the bed was at a higher level than the wheelchair, despite putting the bed in the lowest level. Sarah Leos had acquired the Hoyer Lift from 6300 but was unsuccessful due to technical difficulties. Sarah Leos then recruited 3 RNs, two PCAs, and a nearby physician to safely place this patient back in her bed. They were successful and the patient safely made it back into her bed. The patient thanked Sarah for all that she had done to make her dream a reality. Her spirits were lifted and because of this incident, she was now encouraged to fight. She wanted inpatient chemotherapy and did not want to give up due to her desire to be there for her son. Sarah gave this patient a new perspective and a reason to live another day.
Thank you, Sarah, for being the role model that you are and for always treating your patients with compassion, love, and respect.
On Sarah's break, she had asked a nearby Physical Therapist to help get this patient from her bed into a wheelchair. Sarah Leos made it possible to get the patient, and the patient's sister, to the NICU. Per the patient's sister's report, there were difficulties and challenges. Initially, they refused visitation but with Sarah's persistency, they eventually allowed the patient to see her child. The patient's sister said that she had not seen the patient smile and be as happy as she was when she held her baby boy. Returning the patient back to her bed created another problem: the patient had no energy and the bed was at a higher level than the wheelchair, despite putting the bed in the lowest level. Sarah Leos had acquired the Hoyer Lift from 6300 but was unsuccessful due to technical difficulties. Sarah Leos then recruited 3 RNs, two PCAs, and a nearby physician to safely place this patient back in her bed. They were successful and the patient safely made it back into her bed. The patient thanked Sarah for all that she had done to make her dream a reality. Her spirits were lifted and because of this incident, she was now encouraged to fight. She wanted inpatient chemotherapy and did not want to give up due to her desire to be there for her son. Sarah gave this patient a new perspective and a reason to live another day.
Thank you, Sarah, for being the role model that you are and for always treating your patients with compassion, love, and respect.