Katie Carter responded to a Neonatal Emergency in the ED Trauma room for a 3 day old who had been attacked by a pit bull. Katie remained very calm and collected during this time that allowed for a very helpful working atmosphere for those who were not prepared for an emergency such as this. Although Katie was the charge nurse in the NICU, she realized very quickly that her expertise was needed in the ED. Katie appointed a new charge nurse in the NICU and remained with the patient in the ED until the transport team arrived to transport the infant to Atlanta. During her time in the ED, Katie assisted doctors with the placement of a chest tube and umbilical line placement. Katie never once left the neonate unattended and her dedication for assuring safe patient care to that neonate was her primary committment and focus. Extraordinary!
Here is a note from the ER Trauma coordinator to Katie andthe NICU Managers:
I just wanted to give a Huge THANK YOU to you, Katie, for your awesome response to the 3 day old trauma yesterday! You have no idea how much your calming influence helpedin a very unfamiliar situation. We see lots of babies and lots of traumas but very few (well, none to my knowledge)3 day old traumas such as this one. Your knowledge and willingness to stay and help was more appreciated than you may know. You quickly realized that the rest of the NICU team would be beneficial and essential in the care of that patient. This was a great team effort and it is always nice to see teamwork like I did yesterday!