One day, a very sick child with severe asthma visited the Pulmonary Clinic in severe distress and the care team decided the little boy needed to be admitted to the hospital for further treatment and evaluation. The child's mother seemed very reluctant to having him admitted to the hospital and told the care team that she was going to have to take him home. Being a dedicated patient advocate and compassionate nurse, Linda discussed the situation with the child's mother. This mom told Linda that she had 2 other children at home and didn't have anyone to help care for them, and she didn't want to leave her sick child here at the hospital by himself.

Linda said: "Problem solved. I will stay here with him tonight so he will not be alone." This mother accepted Linda's offer and the child was admitted to the hospital to get the treatment he desperately needed. Once his treatment began that night, he and Linda were able to play games in his hospital room and she was there to make sure he was never alone or afraid. When he required a more recent hospitalization, he wasn't afraid to stay in the room by himself and his mother was willing to trust the nursing staff to take care of him when she had to be away.

While we hope that this situation doesn't occur often, Linda chose to spend her personal time caring for this child and easing the burden on his mother. Two physicians have expressed their sincere appreciation for Linda's actions, not only for her compassion and selflessness, but for truly saving this child's life that day. The entire team in the Pulmonary Clinic would like to recognize and thank Linda for going WAY ABOVE and BEYOND for this little boy and his family.