March 2018
Melissa
Yemma
,
RN
Pediatrics
Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital
Houston
,
TX
United States
Wednesday was a day like any other in the pediatric anesthesia world. We were about to start an MRI with anesthesia for a pediatric patient. All checklists, procedure verifications, and team members were ready to go. This particular child was 4 months old, with mom and dad at his side. As our team was ready to start induction, one of our anesthesia team members suddenly collapsed. As it turns out, that team member was having a stroke.
Right there. In front of this family. In front of us.
We are supposed to be the ones providing care to others. We often forget that we need to be prepared in case one of us needs that same care. Our entire team sprung into immediate action, but of note was one particular pediatric nurse who gracefully managed the patient, the patient's family, and was at the forefront of care for our anesthesia staff member. Melissa calmly called for help, while helping to get our staff member into a chair, and utilized her resources quickly, and concisely, above and beyond her call of duty. Our staff member was able to get to CT, receive TPA, go to Neuro IR where they successfully removed the clot, and to the ICU, all within an hour and a half. Because of this, our staff member is going to make a full and complete recovery. While I commend the entire staff involved in this person's care, Melissa is the reason that the entire process was able to happen so quickly. That Wednesday, we witnessed a true miracle which has deeply humbled me.
I am not just honored to call Melissa my friend but am more honored to call her a co-worker and a nurse. She embodies the empathy, compassion, and intuition that we as nurses should all carry with us every day, even on the hardest days. On the days when we watch as a co-worker and friend has a stroke, is non-verbal, and cannot walk or respond. Even on those days when we want to stop everything else because our friend is the only person who matters at that moment, but we remember there are other patients who are just as important to their family as our friend is to us. On the days when we are crying because we are so genuinely worried about our staff member and whether or not they will be okay.
Thank You, Melissa Yemma, RN, for your seamless response to our staff member, our friend, a part of our Hermann family, that day. Because of you, our co-worker will be healthy and able to return to work to care for our patients. I am in awe of your genuine spirit, empathy, positive attitude, and bedside manner. I am deeply honored to work alongside you.
Right there. In front of this family. In front of us.
We are supposed to be the ones providing care to others. We often forget that we need to be prepared in case one of us needs that same care. Our entire team sprung into immediate action, but of note was one particular pediatric nurse who gracefully managed the patient, the patient's family, and was at the forefront of care for our anesthesia staff member. Melissa calmly called for help, while helping to get our staff member into a chair, and utilized her resources quickly, and concisely, above and beyond her call of duty. Our staff member was able to get to CT, receive TPA, go to Neuro IR where they successfully removed the clot, and to the ICU, all within an hour and a half. Because of this, our staff member is going to make a full and complete recovery. While I commend the entire staff involved in this person's care, Melissa is the reason that the entire process was able to happen so quickly. That Wednesday, we witnessed a true miracle which has deeply humbled me.
I am not just honored to call Melissa my friend but am more honored to call her a co-worker and a nurse. She embodies the empathy, compassion, and intuition that we as nurses should all carry with us every day, even on the hardest days. On the days when we watch as a co-worker and friend has a stroke, is non-verbal, and cannot walk or respond. Even on those days when we want to stop everything else because our friend is the only person who matters at that moment, but we remember there are other patients who are just as important to their family as our friend is to us. On the days when we are crying because we are so genuinely worried about our staff member and whether or not they will be okay.
Thank You, Melissa Yemma, RN, for your seamless response to our staff member, our friend, a part of our Hermann family, that day. Because of you, our co-worker will be healthy and able to return to work to care for our patients. I am in awe of your genuine spirit, empathy, positive attitude, and bedside manner. I am deeply honored to work alongside you.