Laurie Newton exceeds her duty to patients and families every single day that she enters the doors to Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She always brings sunshine to work with a smile on her face, a positive attitude, and a caring personality. Each time I work with her, she is happy to see me and always asks how I am doing and what is new in my life. Laurie displays a genuine interest in the people she interacts with daily. From Housekeeping to Radiology Technologist, Nursing to Medical, and most importantly, patient and parents, Laurie always puts her best foot forward. She genuinely cares about her patients and tends to establish a warm and positive relationship with them.
In the Sedation Service, our patients are entering our world because there is a problem that needs to be immediately fixed. Typically this means that a patient needs a more invasive IV so that the antibiotics being administered for infection can be given over a lengthy period of time. Other times a patient may need a lumbar puncture or bone marrow aspirate to diagnose cancer or track cancer therapies. Patients with chronic conditions we may see multiple times, and it gives us the opportunity to build a relationship. When one of our patients succeeds in therapy, we feel that we have succeeded as well.
This is the type of relationship that Laurie developed with J. This patient had to been seen bi-weekly and occasionally more often for in-patient dressing changes. Over time, this continued on an outpatient basis as well. Laurie, J and his family built a relationship over months. Knowing that J would be stressed over coming in for therapy, Laurie made a point to find out what his favorite type of treat was and would have yummy, chocolaty brownies ready for him on the days he came in for treatment. (After the procedure, of course). Once J stopped coming for therapy, the family kept in touch and while in the hospital, they always find Laurie for a good hug. Laurie always seems to know how to make someone feel special and the way this family has bonded with her is evidence of that!