We had the honor of caring for a sweet child who was terminally ill. Because this child loved Christmas, her family in Hem-Onc and the ED wanted to give her a Christmas she would never forget. As Christmas drew closer, the VCUMC team worked with this family and developed a plan to help make sure she was strong enough to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with her family by having her come to the ED for a transfusion.
When the Peds ED received the call from Hem-Onc to prepare for this child's visit, they decided that two Christmas' were certainly better than one! LaTasha Kennard devised a plan and the team quickly sprang into action. They transformed one of our treatment rooms into a winter wonderland, filled with snowflakes, special bedding, a purple Christmas tree, and wonderful touches from the movie Frozen. The room was breathtaking and her family was truly touched. The child had a wonderful ED experience and there was not a dry eye in the house after the family left. Our mission was accomplished and the family was able to celebrate Christmas together.
As busy and rushed as the ED can be, especially during the holidays, this team, led by LaTasha, made a difference in this child's life.
Honorees of this DAISY Team Award:
LaTasha Christian Kennard, RN (Team Leader)
Amy Iden Lewis, RN
Crystal Aiken, RN (Hem-Onc Clinic)
Dr. Aline Baghdassarian
Nancy Georges, RN
Mandy Krepp, PCT (VCUSON)
Bridget Hutchinson, RN
Joe Vehouc, RN
Linda Maldonado, RN
Sarah Hamlin, RN
Kevin Meyer, RN
Reyna Nikolaus, RN
Stephanie Purcell, RN