My wife and I have a large family. In combination with my military career and civil service, we have lived in five states over the last fifty years. We have utilized hospitals in four out of five. During my college years I even worked at a hospital. Our hospital experiences are all favorable - but they pale in comparison to your Methodist Children's Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
The POH/BMT is unique. The nurses and staff are isolated from the main hospital due to the nature of their responsibilities - taking care of very sick children who all reside in the "immune-compromised" section of the hospital. The patients are protected from family and visitors following very strict sterile-technique standards, employing many measures to protect these precious children.
With my own experience as the parent of a son with leukemia (ALL), I believe the oncology doctors, nurses, and staff deserve special recognition. They are indeed dedicated professionals. I have gotten to know many of them and they are like family to me.
The internet lists so many traits that apply to medical professionals: empathy, compassion, kindness, problem solvers, time managers, etc. The list goes on. POH/BMT exercises these characteristics in spades. They a strong sense of mission, camaraderie, and loyalty. They certainly appear to love their job.
One of their straightest arrows is their communication skills. They use communication devices to talk to one another - like walkie talkies. They are not hesitant to call for help or back up when tending to a patient's needs. Everyone seems genuinely interested in assisting their teammates. Corporate America could take a lesson.
Some highlights of my observations:
-Answering to moans and screams in the middle of the night
-Comforting a parent with sadness in their eyes
-Providing a timely snack to boost someone's mood
-Using a tender hand in the playroom to brighten a child's day
-Never leaving a room without offering "Can I get you anything?' to a child or parent
-Using calming words to help dry someone's tears
-Adding some well-timed humor to brighten a gloomy day
-Using encouraging words to reinforce feelings of hope
I am grateful for this opportunity to recognize these truly professional people. They are awesome. Please extend to them the recognition they so richly deserve.