asked often, ‘‘How can you work there?’’ I always answer, ‘‘I just can.’’ Jesa Orleman: We told a 5-yearold boy to hold still for [a blood draw] and his grandmother jumped right in and said, ‘‘Oh, good, you’re going to check him. He is old enough [to hold still]!’’ The little boy asked what we were checking him for, and Grandma said, ‘‘They need some blood to check and see if you have super powers!’’ He was so brave, and everybody was smiling at how hard he was working to hold still. I’ll keep that line in my pocket for the next time! Camden Kay: At 2 a.m. one night recently, we had a little man come into the critical care room in severe respiratory distress with an extensive cardiac history. After we were done
with his IVs, X-rays, suctioning and high flow, I went and shared with my co-workers that it was his second birthday and asked if they’d like to come say happy birthday. With big smiles and without hesitation, they grabbed some bubbles as I grabbed a present, and five-deep we went and sang ‘Happy Birthday.’ If you’ve ever seen a sick kiddo smirk with his binky in his mouth and then smile, then giggle, you realize everything you do is so worth it! Love my crew! Theresa Antley: We had a small boy [who was crying because he was very anxious about getting a CT]. So I went in to [talk to him] and found out that he was scared of the machine itself. Well, I went over to CT and covered the machine with all his
favorite stickers … I picked him up and put him on the table; he held my hand and lay down and looked at the stickers. He was so still looking at all the stickers that we could do the scan without even holding him down. After it was over, I gave him the stickers and he spent the next 30 minutes looking at all of them. Peds take a lot of patience and distractions/innovations! Love helping them feel better. What a wonderful testament to why some emergency nurses choose to work with children; the funny moments and positive outcomes far outweigh the more difficult times. Thank you for all the wonderful examples that illustrate the unique nature of pediatric emergency nursing!
It’s Your Year to Shine!
Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®) certifications demonstrate your commitment to excellence. Make 2013 the year to earn your mark of distinction!
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