Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit
June 2023
Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit
Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Hershey
,
PA
United States
Team lead: Amanda Kells, Nurse Manager, Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit Primary team members: • Megan Carlin (Recreation Therapy-Child Life) • Robin Kingston (Pediatric Pulmonology) • Rachel Fultz (Otolaryngology) • McKenzie Troutman (Speech Therapy) • Janine Alrutz (Music Therapy) • Chelsey Shipper and Kacey Gallagher (Occupational Therapy) • Diana Vespi (Physical Therapy) • Pam Smith (Respiratory Therapy) • The entire PIMCU nursing team and Respiratory Therapy team.
The teamwork these outings take is significant - each role plays an important part in ensuring a therapeutic, safe, and fun experience for our patients and families.
The team I am nominating for a DAISY Team Award has been coordinating "outings" for our pediatric trach/vent patients every other Tuesday for the past several months. Unless you've witnessed these special outings, I am not sure my essay will accurately capture the joy, magic, and hope these outings provide to not only our patients but their families, as well as the staff who are so committed to our patient's care.
As you might imagine, transporting a patient who uses a ventilator, specialized wheelchairs or strollers, and other equipment outside of our hospital walls takes careful preparation, commitment, energy, and many helping hands. But this group makes it happen, with all of that plus enthusiasm and smiles. On the day I happened upon the group convening before going outside of Children's to the grassy area by the 'sculpture', the aunt and grandma of a NICU infant joined the group and shared that it was the baby's first time going outside. First time ever leaving this hospital.
Recreation therapist, Megan Carlin, music therapist, Janine Alrutz, along with Robin Kingston, a nurse practitioner with pediatric pulmonology, and a handful of PIMCU nurses and family members carefully prepared each patient for their afternoon outing for some sunshine, fresh air, and a music therapy session together. One young man even wore his best-coordinated top and hat for this special outing. It was evident that this trip wasn't just "going outside" - it meant so much more to our patients and their families. With patient safety being paramount, bags of emergency medical supplies had been carefully prepared in the event a child needed anything while outside. And then, like a joyful parade, our patients, their family members, and our dedicated staff moved along their way.
This group has continued to go above and beyond. Planning different activities for the group each session - from blowing bubbles to story time and music therapy sessions. Families of our patients have the opportunity to interact, talk, support one another, and for a moment, perhaps forget about the walls of the hospital. For our patients and their families, creating experiences that make the hospital environment more comfortable and appropriate for the development of each infant, child, and teen is a priority. The teamwork these outings take is significant - each role plays an important part in ensuring a therapeutic, safe, and fun experience for our patients and families. In every way, the staff who are part of these events demonstrate the RITE values - respecting the needs of our pediatric patients and their families as well as their colleagues who cover their responsibilities while making these events possible, doing the right thing, even when no one is watching (little do they know, we're watching-we see their hard work!), and coming together as a team to go above and beyond for our patients.
I know family members of our patients who have been able to participate in these outings have expressed many emotions about what this has meant to them: from sorrow and grieving a reality that may be different from their vision for their child to overwhelming happiness and joy in seeing their child thrive, smile, and participate in activities with new friends. Of note, many of our patients who are able to participate in these events do not have caregivers or family members present for various reasons, so the opportunity for our pediatric patients to socialize with their peers in this way and to interact in a group activity is very special and helpful in their development. Our recreation therapist, Megan, will also ensure the families receive a printed photo of their child outside if they cannot attend the event.
This group is very deserving of recognition, though I know none of them would expect it - many of these staff members have consistently gone above and beyond for our pediatric patients and their families! Amanda Kells, as nurse manager, I am positive, would think she should not be part of this recognition, however, I want you to know that Amanda has been incredibly supportive in making these outings possible - she has provided the "yes" and helped to remove barriers - a true leader.
As you might imagine, transporting a patient who uses a ventilator, specialized wheelchairs or strollers, and other equipment outside of our hospital walls takes careful preparation, commitment, energy, and many helping hands. But this group makes it happen, with all of that plus enthusiasm and smiles. On the day I happened upon the group convening before going outside of Children's to the grassy area by the 'sculpture', the aunt and grandma of a NICU infant joined the group and shared that it was the baby's first time going outside. First time ever leaving this hospital.
Recreation therapist, Megan Carlin, music therapist, Janine Alrutz, along with Robin Kingston, a nurse practitioner with pediatric pulmonology, and a handful of PIMCU nurses and family members carefully prepared each patient for their afternoon outing for some sunshine, fresh air, and a music therapy session together. One young man even wore his best-coordinated top and hat for this special outing. It was evident that this trip wasn't just "going outside" - it meant so much more to our patients and their families. With patient safety being paramount, bags of emergency medical supplies had been carefully prepared in the event a child needed anything while outside. And then, like a joyful parade, our patients, their family members, and our dedicated staff moved along their way.
This group has continued to go above and beyond. Planning different activities for the group each session - from blowing bubbles to story time and music therapy sessions. Families of our patients have the opportunity to interact, talk, support one another, and for a moment, perhaps forget about the walls of the hospital. For our patients and their families, creating experiences that make the hospital environment more comfortable and appropriate for the development of each infant, child, and teen is a priority. The teamwork these outings take is significant - each role plays an important part in ensuring a therapeutic, safe, and fun experience for our patients and families. In every way, the staff who are part of these events demonstrate the RITE values - respecting the needs of our pediatric patients and their families as well as their colleagues who cover their responsibilities while making these events possible, doing the right thing, even when no one is watching (little do they know, we're watching-we see their hard work!), and coming together as a team to go above and beyond for our patients.
I know family members of our patients who have been able to participate in these outings have expressed many emotions about what this has meant to them: from sorrow and grieving a reality that may be different from their vision for their child to overwhelming happiness and joy in seeing their child thrive, smile, and participate in activities with new friends. Of note, many of our patients who are able to participate in these events do not have caregivers or family members present for various reasons, so the opportunity for our pediatric patients to socialize with their peers in this way and to interact in a group activity is very special and helpful in their development. Our recreation therapist, Megan, will also ensure the families receive a printed photo of their child outside if they cannot attend the event.
This group is very deserving of recognition, though I know none of them would expect it - many of these staff members have consistently gone above and beyond for our pediatric patients and their families! Amanda Kells, as nurse manager, I am positive, would think she should not be part of this recognition, however, I want you to know that Amanda has been incredibly supportive in making these outings possible - she has provided the "yes" and helped to remove barriers - a true leader.