The Surgical Trauma team displayed so much sympathy and compassion for a husband and wife who were hospitalized after a very horrific accident that resulted in the loss of their son.  This team not only provided exceptional care, but they also arranged a family visitation service at the hospital for their son, who passed away in the accident. 

This service allowed time for a grieving mother to say goodbye to her son when her medical needs did not allow her to leave the hospital. The team dedicated countless hours to providing support as well as planning the service for this family to come together one last time.  Some of the amazing details our Sanford employees arranged to give these parents time to spend with their son include:

Courtney Bornitz, Surgical/Cardiovascular Director: Courtney and Kendra had the forethought to bring the actual recliner chair down for a dry run to see if it would fit through all the doors involved.  She had the funeral home literally on speed dial to get all the logistical questions addressed.  Courtney also brought her personal stash of tablecloths and niceties to make the environment feel more formal which helped to bring closure for the family. She was also instrumental in creating the Table Tri-fold of pictures (supplied by the family). She also found a special static picture to have placed on the monitor (a beautiful sunset) just above the casket.  Of course, CLEAN UP post meeting (I only saw her there for that). Courtney wrote all the personal Thank Yous to all involved and was at the hub of the activity. Courtney considered it a privilege to be able to get to know this wonderful family and provide this special time for them. 

Kendra Minnaert, Clinical Care Leader, literally had many other Point Of Contacts on speed dial to answer any questions…she and Court had the forethought to bring the actual chair down for a trial run, get the specs from the funeral home as to size of casket, etc.  Any question that came up, she was immediately on her spectralink asking “to be connected to ________.” Kendra’s quick thinking and compassion for the cause was evident.  

Emily Fairbanks, RN: Emily was scheduled for swing shift that day and was asked to come in a little early for additional support and help were ever needed. She was grateful to be there. Emily, among others, stuck around for the ceremony and was right at the family’s side for whatever it was they needed. Her attentiveness and gentleness were appreciated by all. 

Diana Johnson, RN: Diana was assigned to care for the patient on the day of the event due to her calm and kind character. Diana was also a familiar face as she had cared for the patient the week prior. Diana ensured the patient received pain medications at just the right time to ensure she was as comfortable as possible. She then gave the patient and her family the space they needed following the viewing. 

Tracy Kirsch, CCL  : While other team members were preparing the space, Tracy ensured we were staying on schedule and checking in with staff that she was ready. Tracy was just a phone call away when they requested a rosary be brought down to the family. With the help of some others, she took the time to try and fulfill the special request. 

Chaplain Bill Cooper brought the background music, and suggested a “hospitality tray,” and worked with the Priest who was officiating on behalf of the family.   I KNOW he did way more than this. Bill was a comforting voice and presence to this family throughout their entire stay. His knowledge and experience were crucial to the success of the day. 

Somcan Thaenrat, Nursing Assistant: Somcan was Kaitlin’s right had helper getting her ready for the day. Somcan also made trips back and forth from the viewing to the unit to make sure things were where they needed to be. Somcan was calm, patient, and exceeded her call of duty that day. 

Kaitlin Gundvaldson, Nursing Assistant: Kaitlin was asked if she would be willing to come in for a few hours that morning to assist and focus on the patient’s care. Kaitlin didn’t hesitate once and said she would be there. She took extra time to get her cleaned up, dressed, and looking her best. 

Carrie Jucht Administrative Assistance: Scheduled the rooms, did a few iterations of booking these rooms as plans changed, and ordered the food and beverage.  Carrie assisted with the practice run and re-arranged schedules for owners of adjoining meetings in A/B/C.  She did a map/room layout for the maintenance employees to follow, to keep things on schedule.  Carrie went above and beyond to ensure the day went as smoothly as possible.    

Tim Devlin, Security: He was so kind as to get "quiet" sign for doors, orchestrate folks being reverent at this time (in case folks didn’t know what was going on), and was willing to put his name as Point Of Contact on our post-meeting “lessons learned” list.  I’m betting he also was the main escort for the funeral home to bring the casket through the back door/bowels of the hospital. The entire security team followed in his footsteps and were incredibly respectful and attentive to the needs of the family and staff.    

Thank you to:
Tiffany Bergstedt, RN Case Manager
Erin Darling, RN Case Manager
Courtney Bornitz, Director
Carrie Jucht, Sr. Administrative Assistant
Donna Schoeneman, Lead Adm. Assistant