Leigh Sobecki
July 2015
Leigh
Sobecki
,
BSN, RN, CPN
Cardiac Intensive Care Unit
Children's National Medical Center
Washington
,
DC
United States
My son was a patient admitted to Children's National Medical Center in March for aortic valve replacement. Talk about a scary situation not only for the family but for a seven year old little boy who didn't have any symptoms and didn't feel in any way "sick". Leigh Sobecki went above and beyond.
As a parent in my situation, there was a lot of time spent observing during my son's stay. I was blessed to have paid leave and spent 24 hours a day in the room with my son. Between my mother and me, he was never alone. I know many others weren't in a similar situation. I had opportunity to observe the habits of all those that cared for my son… Leigh not only evenly alternated her care routine on the different nights she was assigned to us so that my son sometimes got to bed at a reasonable hour and was able to recognize his safe normal routine, she efficiently did her job with speed, care and accuracy while managing to never once make my son or me feel as if she was rushing to leave. She took time to explain things to me as a parent, she allowed me to participate in my son's care by demonstration or explanation of different tasks and she always smiled. She smiled and she laughed and she cared. This was the best thing that a parent can ask for in this situation. To a child that can't possibly understand or comprehend all that is going on but is old enough to have the anxiety, seeing a smiling face that takes the time to listen, explain, and sometimes play meant the world and made the difference.
My son has what I would term extreme anxiety to needles and IVs. To a child now on Coumadin for life to wake up in a hospital bed with 3 different IVs was explosive. As he healed and the IVs came out one by one, the opportunity to draw blood from them became rare. On two separate nights, when I am sure she had pressing duties, Leigh took the time to quietly enter the room while my son was sleeping and spent approximately 10 minutes each time carefully coaxing his daily blood draw from a sensitive IV so that labs could be run without worry, anxiety, fright, and fight of a single stick. My son is not a light sleeper- her gentle touch and patience made all the difference to me as I watched. One day when my son is older, less anxious, and more able to understand, I will tell him about it as well.
I was sad when she went off duty after a couple of days knowing that we wouldn't benefit from her care again. I purposefully said we in my previous statement because I truly believe she didn't just nurse my precious gift; she nurses me as a parent as well. What more could you ask for?
As a parent in my situation, there was a lot of time spent observing during my son's stay. I was blessed to have paid leave and spent 24 hours a day in the room with my son. Between my mother and me, he was never alone. I know many others weren't in a similar situation. I had opportunity to observe the habits of all those that cared for my son… Leigh not only evenly alternated her care routine on the different nights she was assigned to us so that my son sometimes got to bed at a reasonable hour and was able to recognize his safe normal routine, she efficiently did her job with speed, care and accuracy while managing to never once make my son or me feel as if she was rushing to leave. She took time to explain things to me as a parent, she allowed me to participate in my son's care by demonstration or explanation of different tasks and she always smiled. She smiled and she laughed and she cared. This was the best thing that a parent can ask for in this situation. To a child that can't possibly understand or comprehend all that is going on but is old enough to have the anxiety, seeing a smiling face that takes the time to listen, explain, and sometimes play meant the world and made the difference.
My son has what I would term extreme anxiety to needles and IVs. To a child now on Coumadin for life to wake up in a hospital bed with 3 different IVs was explosive. As he healed and the IVs came out one by one, the opportunity to draw blood from them became rare. On two separate nights, when I am sure she had pressing duties, Leigh took the time to quietly enter the room while my son was sleeping and spent approximately 10 minutes each time carefully coaxing his daily blood draw from a sensitive IV so that labs could be run without worry, anxiety, fright, and fight of a single stick. My son is not a light sleeper- her gentle touch and patience made all the difference to me as I watched. One day when my son is older, less anxious, and more able to understand, I will tell him about it as well.
I was sad when she went off duty after a couple of days knowing that we wouldn't benefit from her care again. I purposefully said we in my previous statement because I truly believe she didn't just nurse my precious gift; she nurses me as a parent as well. What more could you ask for?