Siobhan is a true example of caring and competency. Our unit has many patients that come to us frequently for treatment. There are three parents that come to mind that specifically ask for Siobhan in caring for their children due to how well and graceful she is able to perform certain procedures. We have a sickle cell patient with a medi-port that is difficult to access. When Siobhan is not around, it takes multiple people to hold her still to access her and sometimes it takes multiple attempts. Siobhan is able to access her port on the first attempt every time. Since the child knows that, she is more comfortable and calmer with Siobhan.
We have an oncology patient that views Siobhan as a second mother. This three-year-old boy has social anxieties. He required foster/medical foster care during the course of his treatment, while his mother dealt with drug addiction. Siobhan advocated for the boy, was a source of comfort to him, and his family while they dealt with other ongoing issues. Even the patient's mother trusted and respected Siobhan when she didn't anyone else. Siobhan kept in contact with the boy and every one that cared for him at home. The boy's mother finished her drug rehabilitation program and regained custody of her son. She thanked Siobhan for all she had done and apologized for the way she had behaved while under the influence. It is a true inspiration to see how she touches so many patients' and families' lives.
The third patient that exemplifies Siobhan's caring and competency was a teenage oncology patient. During her course of chemotherapy, she developed an aversion to the Pediatric Day Hospital. She could not even enter the unit without becoming violently ill. She also had a difficult port to access. Since she couldn't enter the PDH without vomiting, she had to receive treatment in other areas of the hospital. Since Siobhan knew how anxious she was, and how difficult it was to access her port, she would go to wherever she was receiving her treatment to do it. This patient felt loved and cared for and it helped to alleviate some of the anxiety related to her traumatic chemotherapy experience. Siobhan's caring, competence and grace inspire me to be a better nurse every day.