February 2016
Caitlin
Coogan
,
MSN, RN, CPNP, CPN
Emergency Medical Trauma Unit
Children's National Medical Center
Washington
,
DC
United States
A family came into the ER after a car accident where the mother and two children were involved. One sibling was admitted to the floor, and the other was still in the ER getting a fracture reduced and casted. Caitlin knew that the mom was upstairs with the sibling, so she was able to comfort the patient alone in the ER. When she was ready, she brought the girl up to her brother's room, got her comfortable on the couch and went over discharge paperwork with the mom. The mom had no support available and it was helpful that Caitlin went out of her way to bring her patient up to the sibling's room to discharge her so the mom did not have to leave the baby's bedside.