Codie A. Brown
August 2022
Codie A.
Brown
,
RN
Intermediate Care Unit
Alice Hyde Medical Center
Malone
,
NY
United States

 

 

 

By P's third day in the IMCU, Codie had created a balloon for her to play with using a surgical glove, and continued to find ways to keep the restless 2-year-old, who would eventually be discharged the following day, calm and comfortable.
Being admitted to the hospital can create anxiety for any patient, regardless of their age. For the youngest patients and their families, however, a trip to the emergency room or an overnight stay on an inpatient unit comes with added complexity – especially when the patient is so young that they often struggle to communicate with their loved ones and care team. Keeping a young patient calm and providing compassionate care to both the child and her family is what prompted this nomination for Registered Nurse Codie Brown for Alice Hyde’s first-ever DAISY Award. Alice Hyde’s emergency department (ED) is where a mother and her two-year-old daughter, "P" found themselves on Valentine’s Day.  P is a  spunky child who had recovered from COVID-19 the previous month,  but had come down with a high fever and was struggling to breathe when the mom, pregnant with her second child, decided to bring her to Alice Hyde. “It was just a very stressful situation. It’s scary for P because she’s two; she’s very sick; we’re getting ready for another baby … It was just nerve-wracking and stressful.” the mother stated.  She added that her daughter's condition was serious enough that she was placed on supplemental oxygen when they arrived at the ED. As their care team searched for an open bed in pediatric care units around the region, mother and daughter spent the night in Alice Hyde’s ED. For the mother, the experience was stressful, but she said her familiarity with members of the care team and the fact that the hospital had cared for P as a newborn — having spent eight days at Alice Hyde, due to breathing problems — gave her comfort. “It was comforting to be here and around people that we knew and who had taken care of my daughter as an infant,”. The next morning, with no available beds in dedicated pediatric care facilities, P was admitted to Alice Hyde’s Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), where she first met Codie Brown, RN. As the toddler's treatment continued – she required multiple IVs in addition to oxygen, and would remain in Alice Hyde’s IMCU for four days — her mom said Codie quickly emerged as someone who could bring a smile to her daughter’s face. “He was just very good with her,” she said. “Codie took the time to interact and talk with her, and it was amazing to see how they connected. I think it’s hard for people to understand how big a job it is to keep a young child calm and entertained in that situation. When they’re two, they don’t want to sit still with an oxygen meter on one foot and an IV in the other.” By P's third day in the IMCU, Codie had created a balloon for her to play with using a surgical glove, and continued to find ways to keep the restless 2-year-old, who would eventually be discharged the following day, calm and comfortable.” “My husband and I both know Codie, and we trust him. Seeing him walk through the door of P's room that first day made us feel so much better, even during what was a really, really anxious time for our family."