I have worked at LIJMC as a hospitalist since 2016 and serve as a physician advisor at Northwell’s Center for Equity of Care. As a hospitalist, I have cared for many patients on 9S and observed first-hand the exceptional care provided by the team of nurses, nurse aids, social workers, nurse case managers, and nurse managers.

I experienced their extraordinary care as a family member for my 19-year-old son, who was a patient on 9S. He arrived home from his first semester of college very sick with an unusual presentation of Adenovirus, which resulted in persistent high fevers, gastric ulcers, and complicated pneumonia with a large effusion requiring a chest tube. Being in the hospital is challenging for all patients and family members, and these phenomenal women were truly compassionate and attentive to the needs of my son, as well as empathetic to our family, who were worried and concerned about his health. They demonstrated this compassion in small and big ways, whether it was getting extra ice packs to help bring down his fever or advocating for him and expediting transport for a procedure.

The parent’s experience of a child’s illness is profoundly scary, overwhelming, and disarming. The ground beneath you feels uncertain and shifting. Dierdre, Savina, and Siara made us all feel grounded, seen, and cared for, and we are forever grateful for their consistent and extraordinary care.