Jill Sisco
March 2023
Jill
Sisco
,
RN, CCRN
ICU
Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center
Bangor
,
ME
United States

 

 

 

She closed the door, allowed the mother to play comforting music, and collected hair and fingerprints for the mother as a keepsake.
Jill came to NL EMMC recently from Wichita, Kansas. She has been a nurse for 30 years. Jill is knowledgeable, motivated to continue to learn, and always looking for ways to improve care in the units. She recently has taken on the task of providing more grief support in the pediatric ICU and implementing more resources that can be provided by nursing staff when resources are limited.

Jill meets the needs of the patient, even if the need is outside the box or out of her comfort zone. Recently, a parent wished to see the patient's injury, to fully understand the extent of the prognosis. Jill built rapport with this parent and knew they were a veteran that was a military medic. Jill without hesitation, removed the bandages and assisted the parent with evaluating the wounds. Jill was present, calm, and reassuring. This task may have made any other nurse uncomfortable or hesitant due to its nature- but Jill without hesitation met the needs of the parent, because she knew it was what was needed for them and the patient.

Jill also went out of her way to provide a memory box for a family member that lost a loved one. She closed the door, allowed the mother to play comforting music, and collected hair and fingerprints for the mother as a keepsake. Jill stated, " I knew that mother could not bring her child home with her, but at least she could bring home a part of them to keep." Jill took the time to groom the patient and provide emotional support to the family.

Jill goes above and beyond when she provides care. She meets the patients and families to their needs as well as educates them to make them more successful beyond discharge.

Recently, Jill has cared for some tragic cases in the pediatric unit. These cases are some that would make others want a break from the PICU. Jill’s thoughts from the care she provided was, "The support I felt from my team and the care I was able to provide solidified I am right where I need to be (NL EMMC ICU/PICU)."

Although Jill has not been in this facility for a long time, she is an asset to this team and the community we serve. Every day Jill is on shift, her team feels a sense of relief knowing she is around.