Stories of Florence Nightingale’s compassion, bravery, and leadership have shaped modern nursing and influenced and inspired millions. As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of her birth, we are honored to shine a light on today’s #NurseHeroes on the front lines by sharing some of their stories.
Hope nominated those who coordinate the care at IVCH: the patient navigators, the clinical coordinators, and the case managers.
“The unrecognized role of care coordinators is often not seen because so much of their work is done behind the scenes. Often times the heroic measures of care coordinators are not spoken of because they do much of their work silently with heavy hearts due to the stressors of caring for patients and caregivers all while working closely with providers and often times insurance carriers.”
Describe why you chose to become a nurse
When I was young (around age 6) my dad bought 12 baby pheasants. If you know anything about baby birds, they require a heat lamp and of course food and water. Well that night the power went out and the baby birds spilled their water. By time we got to the birds, they were soaking wet and their food had been matted to their wings. Both of my parents had to go to work and left the birds. I took each baby bird, cleaned its feathers, dried it and warmed each of them. 10 out of 12 birds survived that experience and made it! From that day forward, I knew I wanted to take care of others.
Describe your most rewarding day on the job
I have been a nurse for almost 10 years now and I have had many rewarding days. The one day that comes to my mind first is the day I cared for a patient whom was at end of life. The patient had been in an immense amount of pain and I worked very closely with the hospitalist to provide them immediate pain reduction and comfort. I can recall the family being drawn to tears to see their loved one finally at rest and comfortable.
Describe your most challenging day on job
The most challenging day comes from when I worked in the Emergency Department. Although I loved that job and found most were very rewarding, I will never forget some of the challenges faced when it came to treating a pediatric patient that did not survive. That day will always live with me as the most challenging day.
Do you have any nurse hacks or lessons learned in the field you would like to share with others?
My most used nurse hack is to always communicate. I am sorry if the receiving person does not need “all of that information” but coming prepared with plenty of information is better compared to not having enough. So always do your homework and utilize SBAR anytime you pick up the phone to call a provider.
What’s a favorite quote of yours?
The golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated!
For those looking for a way to help others, is there a charity you suggest?
I would like to donate to the Aden Lamps Foundation for SIDS awareness.
Thank you for all you do, Hope!
Care Coordination Team Nomination:
This week at IVCH an infant patient was discharged home with an order for an apnea monitor. Prior to discharge, social workers worked judiciously to locate a pediatric apnea monitor. The patient was discharged with the insurance authorization still pending.
Fast forward a few days; the care coordinator reaches out to the patients mother whom is trembling in fear and sacrificing sleep to watch over every moment of her infants life to not miss a life threatening apneic moment because the authorization was DENIED. In this moment, the RN did what care coordinators do best. She reached out to the primary care provider and started to brain storm. She located a resource whom taught this panicked mother how to perform infant CPR for free because she could not afford the $35 class. She put in place prompt follow up care with a Children’s Hospital in Chicago. And not to mention, she worked closely with a local foundation to help fund an apnea monitor for a month in which the DME company still denied.
The frustrations felt for care coordinators is endless but with compassion and composure, the nurse care coordinator is able to direct the caregiver or patient to every avenue possible for appropriate care. The infinite work of a care coordinator goes well beyond the four walls of our hospital.
Illinois Valley Community Hospital
Do you have a story to share?
While our team at ShiftWizard believes all nurses are heroes, we’d like to hear who you feel has gone above and beyond. Help us honor a fellow nurse or nurse leader whose actions have inspired others in these unprecedented times, and let’s celebrate nursing together!
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We are honored to support our frontline teams and we are here to help you meet your challenges head on.
Send your nurse story to us at info@shiftwizard.com or let us know how we can help you.
