‘Incompatible With Life’

Shirley Phillips has a doctorate in physical therapy and currently works for a federally funded research and development program studying human performance in aviation. She was an airline pilot prior to her daughter’s birth.

AshleyAndShirley Ashley and Shirley

The pediatrician was working with a medical student when Ashley had another of her 105 degree fevers. The remnants of a birthmark on her forehead glowed crimson beneath the fringe of bangs I used to conceal it. It always seemed like a warning sign designed just for me, her mother.

I sat quietly while the pediatrician asked for permission to share some information about Ashley’s rare genetic condition with the medical student. Given her intellectual disabilities at the age of two, she was probably not going to understand a word he said, but I instinctively reached to cover her ears.

This resulted in the pediatrician saying, “See how her ear canals are curvy? And her ears are set low on her head? Notice her wide nasal bridge, and her barrel-shaped chest. I am certain when Ashley was born they knew right away that genetic testing was needed. Three or more abnormalities, like the club foot, the wide nasal bridge, the . . . ”

“Wait just a minute,” I said, hardly recognizing my own voice as I stammered out my dismay, interrupting the sage […]

2016-11-21T13:06:46-05:00August 12th, 2013|nursing perspective|0 Comments
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Treating Kids With Asthma in the ED Means More Than Just Putting Out Fires

EDs play an important role in the care of children with asthma. ED clinicians often treat families who don’t have a consistent relationship with a primary care provider. Given this opportunity, it’s essential that all members of the pediatric ED health care team be informed, educated, and updated on the latest asthma treatment guidelines to ensure best practice and high quality outcomes.

In this month’s Emergency column, “Managing Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations in the ED” (which will be free for the next six months), three nurses at Children’s Hospital Boston present a composite case, review the evidence regarding treatment options, describe practices at their own hospital and asthma treatment guidelines, and emphasize the crucial importance ED nurses can play in making sure these children don’t end up back in the ED because of lack of follow-up care or poor care in the home.

Have a look and let us know what you’re doing to make sure you’re not just putting out fires when you treat a child with asthma in the ED.—JM, senior editor

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2016-11-21T13:14:02-05:00February 15th, 2011|Nursing|1 Comment
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Financial Strain and Childhood Cancer: What’s Your Definition of ‘Freedom’?

By Peggy McDaniel, BSN, RN  

I recently read a stirring blog post in the NY Times from a fellow nurse, about a cancer patient she’d treated who was an insurance salesman but whose last months were dominated by a desperate attempt to manage his mounting medical bills, bills which left his wife with a second massive burden on top of her grief at his death.

by frozenchipmunk, via flickr

Like Theresa Brown, I am an oncology nurse. In my work in pediatric oncology, I have also seen families ravaged by cancer treatment—physically, emotionally, and economically. Young families that fight to save their children often end up bankrupt, or with a ruined marriage from the emotional strain of dealing with a loss coupled with financial strain. Financial concerns are ever present. 

Theresa’s article really hit home. I hope you take the time to read it. As I was listening to President Obama’s health care reform speech last week, I heard him mention Senator Kennedy’s experience as a parent of two children diagnosed with cancer. When it comes to the pain and suffering that children experience during treatment, the Kennedy childrens’ experience and that of children without reliable insurance were probably quite similar.

I would guess, though, that the experience was very different for the parents. […]

2016-11-21T13:22:30-05:00September 14th, 2009|health care policy, nursing perspective|2 Comments
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Views expressed on the blog are solely those of the authors or persons quoted. They do not necessarily reflect AJN’s views or those of Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
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