Artelia Withers
May 2025
Artelia
Withers
,
RN
Emergency Department
Rush Oak Park Hospital
Oak Park
,
IL
United States
What is even more impressive is that while Artelia is not a new nurse, she is very new to emergency medicine, and was able to handle such an urgent situation with the grace of a seasoned emergency nurse.
A three-year-old female patient was brought into the emergency department by her father, while her mother stayed home to take care of the younger sibling. Earlier that day, the little girl was sitting at a high-top counter when she lost her balance and fell, hitting her head on the counter. This adorable little girl with ringlet curls and a newly blackened eye required a CT scan, and while down there with her dad, she began to vomit.
Artelia was the nurse taking care of her. Upon getting a call from CT, she quickly grabbed anti-nausea medications, then she and the doctor ran down to help so the patient could get the scan. During the scan, the doctor noted bleeding in the brain and told the nurse, who quickly understood the severity of the situation.
Artelia rushed the patient back to the treatment room and began working quickly to get a second IV established, emergency medications for a rapid intubation, an IV drip to diminish swelling to the brain, and proper sedation for the patient who was metabolizing the sedatives quickly.
To say the patient's father was a wreck would be an understatement. Yet, Artelia managed to not only provide efficient and exceptional care to this pediatric patient, but also help keep the father informed of what was happening, what to expect, and reassure him that he did everything we could have asked of him for his daughter. She was also able to help the father communicate with the mother over the phone, so she knew what was happening.
Artelia was able to keep the parents at ease with her communication and sense of calmness. She handled the care of both the patient and the parents with such ease, you would have never known if she was stressed by the situation herself. With no small thanks to Artelia, the patient was timely transferred to a hospital for higher-level care.
The girl's dad was kind enough to call after she was out of surgery to thank Artelia and the doctor for their care and told us she will make a full recovery. What is even more impressive is that while Artelia is not a new nurse, she is very new to emergency medicine, and was able to handle such an urgent situation with the grace of a seasoned emergency nurse. It is truly because of Artelia's exceptional care and compassion that this patient will be able to live life without the lasting effects of her accident that day.
Artelia was the nurse taking care of her. Upon getting a call from CT, she quickly grabbed anti-nausea medications, then she and the doctor ran down to help so the patient could get the scan. During the scan, the doctor noted bleeding in the brain and told the nurse, who quickly understood the severity of the situation.
Artelia rushed the patient back to the treatment room and began working quickly to get a second IV established, emergency medications for a rapid intubation, an IV drip to diminish swelling to the brain, and proper sedation for the patient who was metabolizing the sedatives quickly.
To say the patient's father was a wreck would be an understatement. Yet, Artelia managed to not only provide efficient and exceptional care to this pediatric patient, but also help keep the father informed of what was happening, what to expect, and reassure him that he did everything we could have asked of him for his daughter. She was also able to help the father communicate with the mother over the phone, so she knew what was happening.
Artelia was able to keep the parents at ease with her communication and sense of calmness. She handled the care of both the patient and the parents with such ease, you would have never known if she was stressed by the situation herself. With no small thanks to Artelia, the patient was timely transferred to a hospital for higher-level care.
The girl's dad was kind enough to call after she was out of surgery to thank Artelia and the doctor for their care and told us she will make a full recovery. What is even more impressive is that while Artelia is not a new nurse, she is very new to emergency medicine, and was able to handle such an urgent situation with the grace of a seasoned emergency nurse. It is truly because of Artelia's exceptional care and compassion that this patient will be able to live life without the lasting effects of her accident that day.