Judy
LaFlair
November 2012
Judy
LaFlair
,
RN
NICU
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano
Plano
,
TX
United States
Judy LaFlair has worked in the NICU here at THP for many years. I have had the privilege of observing the care she provides for our fragile babies as well as interactions she has with their parents.
Judy recently cared for a baby who lost a twin brother shortly after birth. Judy eventually became a member of the care team for the surviving twin girl. The family did not speak fluent English and also had very particular customs regarding death. Judy worked in conjunction with our Educator at the time to find out what traditions could be honored for the sibling who died as well as how to help this family move forward. A great deal of love and attention was given to this family from Judy as well as her peers on the care team. This is just one example of how Judy goes above and beyond for our babies and families here at THP.
What most people don’t know about Judy is that nearly every 6 months she travels to Uganda for mission trips. The mission trips are paid for from Judy’s own funds. The mission trips are centered on a hospital that has a very small special care nursery. Judy recognized early on in her visits that this facility lacked some of the basic knowledge for resuscitation and stabilization of the newborn after birth. The death rate was very high in this hospital because of lack of knowledge as well as lack of appropriate resuscitation equipment.
Judy came back to the states and developed a power point for the special care nursery on the steps of resuscitation as well as interventions for thermoregulation. Judy’s mission team also brought back a ventilator and equipment to make a stabilizing warmer that provided heat as this special care nursery had neither. Judy has since gone back to Uganda to present her teachings of basic resuscitation and is working closely with the Physician’s and Nurses there. Judy plans to return to Uganda in January to see how things are going since she was last there and provided education.
Without a doubt I see the impact that Judy’s care has made on our babies and families here at THP. Most significantly, Judy’s volunteer efforts and mission team are possibly saving the lives of babies in Uganda. There is something to be said for that as well as recognizing people for their efforts to make a difference!
Judy recently cared for a baby who lost a twin brother shortly after birth. Judy eventually became a member of the care team for the surviving twin girl. The family did not speak fluent English and also had very particular customs regarding death. Judy worked in conjunction with our Educator at the time to find out what traditions could be honored for the sibling who died as well as how to help this family move forward. A great deal of love and attention was given to this family from Judy as well as her peers on the care team. This is just one example of how Judy goes above and beyond for our babies and families here at THP.
What most people don’t know about Judy is that nearly every 6 months she travels to Uganda for mission trips. The mission trips are paid for from Judy’s own funds. The mission trips are centered on a hospital that has a very small special care nursery. Judy recognized early on in her visits that this facility lacked some of the basic knowledge for resuscitation and stabilization of the newborn after birth. The death rate was very high in this hospital because of lack of knowledge as well as lack of appropriate resuscitation equipment.
Judy came back to the states and developed a power point for the special care nursery on the steps of resuscitation as well as interventions for thermoregulation. Judy’s mission team also brought back a ventilator and equipment to make a stabilizing warmer that provided heat as this special care nursery had neither. Judy has since gone back to Uganda to present her teachings of basic resuscitation and is working closely with the Physician’s and Nurses there. Judy plans to return to Uganda in January to see how things are going since she was last there and provided education.
Without a doubt I see the impact that Judy’s care has made on our babies and families here at THP. Most significantly, Judy’s volunteer efforts and mission team are possibly saving the lives of babies in Uganda. There is something to be said for that as well as recognizing people for their efforts to make a difference!