November 2017
Christina
Nelson
,
BSN, RN, CNOR
Operating Room
Children's Mercy Kansas City (MO)
Kansas City
,
MO
United States
On the morning of Aug. 9, Tina went up to the floor to transport a patient to the OR for surgery. The patient was a 4-year-old girl in state custody who had no parents, friends, family, or even a caseworker present with her. This little girl was understandably frightened, so Tina wrapped her in a warm blanket, placed her in a wagon, and pushed her down to our holding area. Upon arriving to the holding area (the little girl had obviously been thoroughly enjoying the ride), Tina picked her up (blankets and all) and placed her on her lap. The preceding case in this patient's OR went much longer than anticipated, so she had to remain in the holding area for an extended time. During this time (over an hour and a half), Tina kept the little girl on her lap watching videos ("Trolls," "Frozen," etc.) and singing along. The girl was beaming and smiling the entire time. The only "break" Tina took was when the girl needed to use the restroom so Tina took her. The moments before surgery are often a very frightening time for our patients and their families. For a 4-year-old girl with no family, caseworker, or familiar faces present, this could be terrifying. However, thanks to Tina, for this little girl it was most likely the highlight of her day. Tina ignored the fact that her legs were falling asleep (and her own dire need to use the restroom) to keep this girl on her lap, smiling and happy. Then, when the OR was ready for her, Tina carried her back to the OR herself and stayed with her during her induction, keeping her calm and content. For an hour and forty-five minutes, Tina was the loved one this girl didn't have, providing her comfort when she needed it most. As our hospital takes great pride in caring for the most vulnerable, I can think of no greater example of this than the one Tina set that day. The compassion and comfort she provided for this little girl were moving and inspiring. Tina consistently goes above and beyond to provide this level of care.