March 2025
Sierra
Lanier
,
BSN, RN
Labor and Delivery
Intermountain Health - Saint Joseph Hospital
Denver
,
CO
United States
Sierra, a previous CM herself, took it upon herself to reach out to CPS (during night shift hours) and inquire if there were any alternatives or services they could offer besides temporary removal of the children.
Sierra, who is a new grad, recently went above and beyond to contact CPS about possible solutions to a patient dilemma. The patient had a history of domestic abuse, presented to L&D with her 1 and 3-year-olds, and no one to care for them. The patient was very ill with sepsis, had no one to care for her children, and the only possible solution per CM was to call CPS and have them removed and placed in temporary care. The patient was willing to leave AMA, and/or return to her abusive partner to avoid this. She was so ill that she could have died if she had left without treatment for her sepsis. As a hospital we cannot "sit/baby sit" her 2 children due to liability reasons. Sierra, a previous CM herself, took it upon herself to reach out to CPS (during night shift hours) and inquire if there were any alternatives or services they could offer besides temporary removal of the children. This was not even her patient, but she felt so pulled to do the right thing for this patient when all other caregivers felt they had exhausted all options. Sierra was able to secure an immediate "certified/trained sitter" for the 1 yo and 3 yo through a grant that CPS had available. The children were able to stay with their mother (the patient), and the patient was able to stay at the hospital for the next 3-4 days and receive the treatment for her sepsis, knowing her children were right there and being cared for. This possibly saved her life, and kept the children with their mother instead of in temporary, unknown housing (which at the time was not even available or an option). It also kept the patient from returning to the abusive partner with her children. We are now looking at a way we can partner with this service, so that if the grant is not available, we could possibly contract with them in the future.