A patient in McKay-Dee Hospital’s pediatric unit had refused to talk or make eye contact with his caregivers — but a few hours later he’d made major strides thanks to some good thinking by a perceptive care team. His caregivers looked beyond his medical needs to his personal needs and met them with the same level of care.
Gabby Munoz
“I noticed he was anxious and in distress,” says Gabby Munoz, a patient care tech. “He’d asked about his belongings and when we gave him his bag of clothes and shoes he was upset his new white shoes were covered in mud. It was obvious how important they were to him, so a few of us got a basin and toothbrush for him to clean the shoes.”
“This patient had been almost silent the whole shift and had barely even sat up,” says Sherstin Pearce, RN. “But once he went to work on his shoes he started opening up and even said he was feeling less anxious. It was amazing how much this changed his mood.”
“It was such a small thing, but afterward he was willing to talk with us and even have a meal,” says Gabby. “By the time he left a few hours later his attitude was completely changed.”
“I'm glad I work with such great coworkers who notice what’s important to our patients and go out of their way to help treat them beyond their physical needs,” says Sherstin.