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Nurses Week Essays from Rady Children's RNs

Winners of the Nurses Week essay contest, "When I Knew I Made a Difference," features incredible moments from the front lines of medicine at Rady Children's.

An excerpt from nurse Emily Davenport on how her time with two special families strengthened her humanity:

In Critical Care, we nurses have the opportunities to save lives and take part in nothing short of miracles everyday. However, for every miracle we experience, we also deal with death and dying among children on a daily basis. When I tell people what I do…"How do you do it?" is the common response. I simply tell them, I don't know how I do it sometimes, but it is truly a bittersweet experience.

I learned an immense amount about the life-sharing process and program and was able to strengthen my interactions with the family members in their grieving process. The girl's family made the decision to donate and share her life. In the end, her organs went to four different children, one of whom who needed (organs) within 24 hours or he too would have died. She helped make a difference in over 60 people's lives through the miracle of donation.

It is amazing that in the most horrendous of situations, one can find joy and peace. The older sister of this patient turned to me and said, "God bless you, for what you guys do everyday, you are angels and my sister is, too. We are at peace and know that her life will continue on through another child in need. Thank you!"

From Wendy Gray-Bois, RN Ortho/Rehab (the name of her patient has been changed to protect his privacy).

I couldn't believe my eyes. Was that Calvin walking towards me, huge grin from ear to ear? Calvin's story had begun like so many others on our floor. An unexpected brain bleed from a ruptured AVM ... he couldn't speak, eat, drink or walk and had lost bowel and bladder control.

What I love about our floor is everyone here is very proactive about signing up to be primaries for rehab kids. We understand the importance of having consistent caregivers for these patients who are already struggling day-to-day. Seeing a familiar face, knowing the best way to get that particular patient out of bed, can make their daily life on the floor so much easier. And for the parents, it means a friend.

At one point in his rehab program, Calvin was making progress and also feeling a little more relaxed around nursing. We were practicing a particularly hard transfer and he was tired and asked this RN, "Is this optional?" The unexpected question made this RN laugh out loud, partly because the patient was feeling confident enough to give some push back. This was the day I knew I had made a difference in Calvin's life. He had come to the floor a helpless victim of his anatomy. He was going to leave our floor, in charge of his destiny, with the tools/skills he had learned to fight his way back to baseline, with confidence to boot.

The following is excerpted from Marilyn E. De Jesus, RN BSN, NICU night shift, ELBW Team:

One night I admitted a 24-weeks baby. The gentlest touch could rub her paper-thin skin right off. Her mother's rings could fit over her delicate legs. Her family heard estimates that she had only about a tablespoon of blood coursing through her veins. Even with her tiny, pastel-striped knit cap on and a maze of tubes assisting her bodily functions, she weighed only 800 grams.

(After the baby passed) the Dad held the Mom's hand and consoled her. Tears were running down their cheeks. I could feel the pain of the parents in my heart.

The moment was overwhelming. I offered care and comfort throughout the evening as I have witnessed a real and personal experience unfolds before me.

I handed the Dad the satin-lined 'memory box' to help them cope with the death of their first baby. The mementos include the baby's footprints, wristbands and lock of hair.

Before they left, the Dad expressed, "If I have a burning house and I could rescue only ONE THING. I think this would probably be 'the memory box' for me."

I left that day forever changed, personally and professionally. I realized that this amazing profession of nursing affords us the humble opportunity to participate in the most intimate experiences of life. Nursing has taught me to believe that even though I am only one person, I do make a difference everyday I come to work.

The following is excerpted from the award-winning story by Nurse JoAnne Auger about a patient whose story inspired her to write these words:

The ability to help make a difference for a family at perhaps the most difficult time they will have to endure gives great meaning and purpose to our lives as nurses. The end-of-life experience is a snapshot that families review over and over in their minds. To be able to create a memory of gentle peace and love at the end of a child's life is a very special gift. I was so proud to be a part of this amazing team of caregivers as two different worlds of medicine -- critical care and oncology -- collaborated in an extraordinary way. We were able to not only support that child and family, but each other as well. Another of my favorite quotes comes from Mother Teresa who says…
“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

That day, we relied on each other's strengths. Together, we did great things that allowed us to make a profound difference in the life of a very special family.