From the perspective of an outsider (the observing parent), advocacy for a pediatric patient is a three-pronged dilemma for a nurse. To advocate for the patient, the nurse must negotiate with the patient to do uncomfortable things in the best interest of the patient. The nurse must also seek assistance and approval from the parents to do things that are hard but necessary. Finally, the nurse must communicate her concerns or the concerns of the parents of the patient to the medical team in a manner that results in the best possible coordination of the patient's care.

On two separate occasions very recently, Meghan exemplified good patient advocacy for our daughter. On the first occasion, we had thought our daughter was paler than usual and brought the point up, only to later believe that it was just temporary. Meghan agreed with the assessment and brought it to the attention of the surgical team. Once the surgical team visited, they inquired with us to which we mentioned that we thought it might have been temporary, so they decided to not act on the information. Meghan continued to insist something was off about her color which led to a blood panel revealing a low red blood cell count. This lab led to a blood transfusion that most certainly improved her color and demeanor. Without this insistent advocacy, our daughter would not have received the treatment that was necessary in improving her well-being.

The next instance was after our daughter’s paraoesophageal repair. This was her third surgery and one that we weren't expecting. The only surgery that we knew would be required was the fistula repair. We had not expected either of the next two, the first being for an obstruction that occurred, and the last being deemed necessary after the hernia was revealed in an upper GI study. The emotional weight of the experience rendered us apprehensive to push recovery after the third surgery instead of electing to let her demeanor drive recovery. However, Meghan's continued advocacy for her patient led her to be very encouraging to our daughter and supportive of us in her rehabilitation efforts. This resulted in our daughter’s respiratory status continuing to improve throughout Meghan's shift.

Our primary objective, as parents, has been to advocate to the best of our ability for our daughter. The two instances cited are just a couple of the many moments where we have felt as if Meghan has strongly supported our advocacy efforts.

Note: This is Meghan's 2nd DAISY Award!