Debbie Banderas
January 2021
Debbie
Banderas
,
RN
Nurse Staffing Office
Torrance Memorial Medical Center
Torrance
,
CA
United States
If it weren't for Debbie checking and rechecking this situation, the family who had planned to have services for their baby would not have been able to do so.
Recently, there was a delicate situation involving a patient who had experienced the loss of her unborn baby. No matter how many times this occurs, apart from the extreme emotional toll this takes on everyone involved, there is also the administrative side that the nursing office must deal with that is often time difficult to navigate. Everyone in the nursing office is extremely helpful when this tragic event occurs, coming from L&D as a staff nurse then Lead, I have first-hand experience of all they do.
Debbie prevented a horrible experience for two families from becoming even worse. There were some extenuating circumstances for a fetal loss several weeks ago regarding the disposition Debbie had been working on that case diligently with her coworkers. Recently, we had another patient who experienced a loss of their unborn baby who had planned to have the baby taken to the mortuary for final disposition of the remains. There had also been a decision on the first case to go for pathology. At the time, both fetuses were in the morgue. I happened to be in the Nursing Office when Debbie was speaking to the Manager of Pathology and it was clearly discussed there were two babies in the morgue and pathology would be taking baby "A" back to pathology. Baby "B", from the second patient was waiting to be picked up by the mortuary. The babies were clearly labeled with the mother's information. Later that day, Debbie instinctively made sure the baby left in the morgue was the correct baby. It turned out the person who picked up the baby for pathology picked up the wrong baby. If it weren't for Debbie checking and rechecking this situation, the family who had planned to have services for their baby would not have been able to do so. She prevented a family already going through the most devastating experience from another tragedy. Debbie truly went the extra mile for both families and because of the nature of this situation, no one would know. The impact, if she had not acted as she did, would have been astronomical to both families. Debbie is a true DAISY Nurse.
Debbie prevented a horrible experience for two families from becoming even worse. There were some extenuating circumstances for a fetal loss several weeks ago regarding the disposition Debbie had been working on that case diligently with her coworkers. Recently, we had another patient who experienced a loss of their unborn baby who had planned to have the baby taken to the mortuary for final disposition of the remains. There had also been a decision on the first case to go for pathology. At the time, both fetuses were in the morgue. I happened to be in the Nursing Office when Debbie was speaking to the Manager of Pathology and it was clearly discussed there were two babies in the morgue and pathology would be taking baby "A" back to pathology. Baby "B", from the second patient was waiting to be picked up by the mortuary. The babies were clearly labeled with the mother's information. Later that day, Debbie instinctively made sure the baby left in the morgue was the correct baby. It turned out the person who picked up the baby for pathology picked up the wrong baby. If it weren't for Debbie checking and rechecking this situation, the family who had planned to have services for their baby would not have been able to do so. She prevented a family already going through the most devastating experience from another tragedy. Debbie truly went the extra mile for both families and because of the nature of this situation, no one would know. The impact, if she had not acted as she did, would have been astronomical to both families. Debbie is a true DAISY Nurse.