Jennifer C Hinojosa
July 2024
Jennifer C
Hinojosa
,
RN, CPHON
TCCC OP Clinic
Texas Children's Hospital
Houston
,
TX
United States
I have watched Jennifer walk families through the most challenging times of their lives with the grace and compassion we all would want for our personal families.
There are so many situations in which Jennifer has made a difference in the care of her patients, and it's honestly hard to pick just a few examples. We have worked together for many years, and I have watched Jennifer walk families through the most challenging times of their lives with the grace and compassion we all would want for our personal families. She always goes above and beyond her job description to ensure the kids are cared for.
I watched her stay 3 hours after work calling home health companies to get oxygen delivered that night for a patient who was dying, and the family was very adamant that he die at home comfortably without hospice. It was a Friday night, and after being told no over and over, she finally talked to the owner of the company, who, after talking to Jennifer, delivered the oxygen himself. She was also still fielding calls from the mom and giving anticipatory guidance for the changes she would see closer to death. Jennifer could have easily told them to come to the ER or she could have stopped after the first few times she was told no for getting home oxygen delivered on a Friday night or she could have put it off until Monday as it was after hours.
Probably what helps our families the most and what, to me, is the sign of a compassionate nurse is that she never passes the work on to the families. She fixes any problem that the family brings. I have seen her program phone numbers into phones, show a young adult how to use MyChart, call pharmacies to get refills, talk to other subspecialties so parents aren't on hold with another department, and contact ancillary services for families. When you ask her why did she do xyz, the answer is always the same and said with a smile "they have so much to worry about, I can help". I think we often take for granted how amazing, knowledgeable, and easy it is to work with Jennifer at her job. If she is out, when she returns, I will have so many parents tell me how thankful they were when Jennifer was back. In the sometimes deeply discouraging world of pediatric cancer, nurse Jennifer is always a light for these precious children and families.
I watched her stay 3 hours after work calling home health companies to get oxygen delivered that night for a patient who was dying, and the family was very adamant that he die at home comfortably without hospice. It was a Friday night, and after being told no over and over, she finally talked to the owner of the company, who, after talking to Jennifer, delivered the oxygen himself. She was also still fielding calls from the mom and giving anticipatory guidance for the changes she would see closer to death. Jennifer could have easily told them to come to the ER or she could have stopped after the first few times she was told no for getting home oxygen delivered on a Friday night or she could have put it off until Monday as it was after hours.
Probably what helps our families the most and what, to me, is the sign of a compassionate nurse is that she never passes the work on to the families. She fixes any problem that the family brings. I have seen her program phone numbers into phones, show a young adult how to use MyChart, call pharmacies to get refills, talk to other subspecialties so parents aren't on hold with another department, and contact ancillary services for families. When you ask her why did she do xyz, the answer is always the same and said with a smile "they have so much to worry about, I can help". I think we often take for granted how amazing, knowledgeable, and easy it is to work with Jennifer at her job. If she is out, when she returns, I will have so many parents tell me how thankful they were when Jennifer was back. In the sometimes deeply discouraging world of pediatric cancer, nurse Jennifer is always a light for these precious children and families.