I am a volunteer for the Trauma Intervention Program of Orange County (TIP). One afternoon, I received a panicked call from the TIP Dispatcher asking if I could go to Kaiser - Anaheim for a call that she'd just received a 19-month-old drowning victim. Thankfully, I live close by and got there in about 15 minutes. What I encountered over the course of the next several hours was amazing. I've been a TIP volunteer for 2 years and in my prior career spent more time in an ED than a person ought to. I have tears in my eyes right now thinking about your staff. Kind, caring, compassionate, loving, talented, knowledgeable, empathetic are a few words that I can think of that would describe the team that I worked with on Saturday.
Dr. Cindy Parker - I'm not sure I've ever encountered a Doc quite like Dr. Parker. Simply put she was absolutely amazing. She was so good with the parents. Continuously communicating with them and telling them the truth. She was encouraging without giving false hope. She spoke with them (not to them) in such a peaceful, kind tone and in terms that the parents would understand. Dr. Parker brought a sense of calm during a very difficult and chaotic time. She is a blessing to those around her.
Justine - Rock Star Charge Nurse! She was the glue that held everyone together. Teamwork really happens in your ED, they show respect, support, and communication. Justine was so wonderful with the parents. Keeping in constant communication with them, explaining what was going on and how the transfer process would go. Justine has a heart of gold.
Dr. Dimple Khona- Her genuine kindness, compassion, and knowledge also brought such a sense of peace to a very stressful situation. She was constantly checking in on the parents making sure they understood what was going on and explaining next steps. Her sense of calm during this time was amazing to me.
Mohamad - He cared so well for the young girl. The kindness, compassion and genuine concern that Mo displayed when he was speaking to her mom as she was being transferred is something that I will remember for a long time to come. I had to go into an empty room to pull myself together. He is an amazing man with a genuine heart of gold.
Ashley - While I did not interact much with Ashley, I'm not sure she ever left the patient's side. She was constantly checking on her and keeping an eye on all of the machines that she was hooked up to. A truly dedicated and kindhearted nurse.
I'm sure you know that your team is top notch. I got to watch this team in action first hand and in my heart, I know that they saved this sweet little girl's life. The teamwork, communication, respect for one another and their do-whatever-it-takes attitude is something I know you are very proud of. Our community is so incredibly blessed to have this Kaiser team caring for us. I am truly grateful for each and every person that I encountered that day.
Team Members honored with this DAISY TEAM Award:
Dr. Cindy Parker
Dr. Dimple Khona
Justine Concepcion, RN
Rick Deleon, RN
Delois Davis, RN
Patrick Ryan, RN
Christine Washington, RN
Suzanne Bradley, RN
Teer Lina, RN
Ashley Oaks, RN
My Loan Ho, RN
Laurence Abelon, RN
Joseph Guieb, RN
Jamie Lee Swets, RN
Elenita Valdehuesa, RN
Christian Ivelia, RN
Mohamed Abu Hussin, RN
Nicole Laflamme, RN
Doug Hurst, RN
Alex Mendez, ERA
Eric Plascencia, ERA
Joseph Vasquez, ERA
Jessica Norman, WCT
Cynthia Headrick, WCT
Carol Thomas, WCT