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A Tribute to a Children’s Nurse
by Laurie Blumberg-Romero, research administrator in Children's Center for Care Inovation and Research
I am writing this story to pay tribute to a co-worker, Pam Graves, who came to my aid in a time of need.
Recently my 11-month-old son Mateo
awoke with a fever of 101.5°. Since my schedule is more flexible than my husband's, we decided that I would stay home with Mateo. I had some work deadlines approaching and had not planned on staying home, so decided to pick up some work from my office. I bundled Mateo into his car seat and brought him to the office with me. While gently rocking his car seat, which I had placed on my desk, I started to sing him to sleep. His eyes began to droop as he drifted off. His eyes drooped further and suddenly they were wide open and unfocused. He became rigid and appeared not to be breathing. I tried blowing on his face to elicit a breath from his little lips. I watched saliva start to bubble at the corner of his mouth. I frantically started unbuckling the car seat and yelled, "Someone please help me!" Mateo started turning purplish-blue and I screamed, “My baby’s not breathing!”
Time seemed to slow as my hands shook uncontrollably. Pam Graves, whose office is next to mine, appeared at my door, followed by Leslie Loeding and Pat Janey who both work in my department. Pam immediately took Mateo from my arms and started administering first aid. Saliva dropped from his mouth to the floor as tears flowed from my eyes. I could not think rationally. I kept asking myself, “Is he breathing? Why isn’t he breathing?” Pat and I rushed toward different phones to call 911. I punched in the numbers and got nothing. “What is wrong with my phone?” I was thinking as my trembling fingers redialed 9-911. No response again. Mateo, still in Pam’s arms, started to breathe raggedly. She asked me for a bulb syringe and I dug through my carefully packed baby bag. No “boogie sucker” there. “What is wrong with me?” I thought. “I can’t get the phone to work. I don’t have supplies. What is happening to Mateo?” In a daze I overheard Pat on the phone informing someone somewhere that we were heading to the ED.
Pam, still holding Mateo, looked me square in the eye and told me to bring my insurance information. I grabbed my wallet and the car seat – probably more for comfort to hold something familiar than for any other reason - and followed Pam out of the office. The elevator was waiting for us and we went down.
Exiting on the ground floor, Pam moved quickly and I followed her. We passed a uniformed police officer and Pam, without breaking stride, yelled to him that he was our escort. We quickly moved up the steps and into the ED.
Pam handed Mateo to a nurse and succinctly briefed her on the situation. I tried to keep Mateo in my sight while staying out of the way. An ED nurse encouraged me to take a seat and move closer to Mateo. In what seemed like seconds, the ED staff removed his onesie, cleared his airway, put in an IV, and attached a pulse oximeter and EKG monitor. Dr. Tom Hellmich tried to put me at ease by introducing me to the group. I instinctively moved backwards towards the wall to be out of the way, but a nurse put her hand on my arm and suggested that I move closer and hold Mateo’s arm. I wanted to pick him up and hold him, but was worried about all of the cords and lines attached to his little body. Another nurse who must have sensed my hesitancy let me know that I could hold him and that I need not worry about the lines. Shortly afterwards, we went to X-ray, then back to the ED for observation. A nurse suggested that I get into the bed and hold my baby, for both of us to be comforted.
An hour later Pam returned to check up on us. By then, the team treating Mateo had concluded that he had suffered a febrile seizure. Though he will be susceptible to such episodes in the future, there did not appear to be any adverse consequences associated with this incident. I told Pam this, and she told me that she had completed her own diagnosis — not of Mateo, but of Children’s internal safety procedures. My inability to dial 911 prompted her to follow up with the operator to check the lines, and to write a Safety Learning Report. I was struck by her professionalism. Not only did she get Mateo quickly and safely to the ED, but while he was being evaluated, she assessed the situation and started a formal inquiry into why things did not work perfectly.
I realize in retrospect that Pam’s actions were those of a well-trained nurse, and that some may think that her response wouldn’t merit this rave review. But, as a person who works comfortably with budgets, spreadsheets, and researchers, I continue to be awestruck by my co-worker's quick response, calm and professional demeanor, and confident actions. Pam exemplified Children’s commitment to excellence in care by providing exceptional skills that day. I will never forget this incident and will always remember Pam’s ability to usher my baby and me through a very frightening situation.
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