What are your current health care positions; and What are your responsibilities in this position?
I am a registered nurse at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. When I visited a hospital as a child, I knew then that I wanted to be a nurse and specifically work with children. I graduated from Florissant Valley Community College as a registered nurse in 1989. At the Bridge Hospital, the philosophy is to teach parents and to bridge the gap from a major hospital. The patients come from there to us to either learn about how to care for their children to get them home. I teach parents nursing care.Â
How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?
It is very rewarding to teach the parents how to take care of their kids. I educate them on respiratory care, like how to set their child up on a ventilator in some cases, on a day-to-day basis. Parents also learn about room care, feeding, and other essential things they need to know about medical needs for their children.Â
Health care is a team sport. Tell us about your team and how they help you succeed.
Each day, I work with the physician, nurse practitioner, a person in respiratory therapy, a person in speech therapy, and a person in occupational therapy. We work together to provide the best care to our patients. Physicians will write out the instructions or orders that are needed to take care of the child. As a team, we work together daily to take care of patients. I also cannot forget about the nurse assistants who work with me as well. We come together to do daily care and parent trainings.
COVID continues to disrupt our work and our lives. How has it disrupted your work, and how are you adapting?
Before the pandemic, our visiting policies looked a lot different. There were family policies, but there were less restrictions for visitation. During the pandemic, patients can only have two visitors at a time which limits their interaction. Siblings cannot really come visit under the age of 16. It was more family centered before because siblings were included. Some patients are in the hospital for months or years. Now, patients are going over a year without seeing most of their family members other than the two designated caregivers who can see them. We tell them they can talk on the phone or Facetime, but it is hard for them to not see their loved ones in person. Families are really being pulled apart over this.
Mentors are crucial to the development of a successful professional. Tell us about a mentor and how that person helped guide you.
I have been a registered nurse for 32 years. I have been a mentor for many of our new nurses. I do a lot of training for new nurses as they come aboard. One of the ways I help to mentor is by introducing the new nurses to other staff members, families, and anyone important to what is going on during the shift. This is to ensure they know who they are working with and who is there with them. I may do it more than once also, which I get playfully teased for, but it is effective. It helps them to get acclimated and build their confidence.
Do you have a previous position that helped you prepare for this work? If so, please share.
After graduating college, I joined St. Louis Children’s Hospital as a staff nurse where I got the nursing foundation. There, I cared for kids with cystic fibrosis and asthma. It helped me to work effectively in a team. After a few years there, I wanted to care for kids with more severe medical conditions. I joined Strictly Pediatrics Specialty Center where I cared for medically fragile children in their homes, treating kids living with chronic illnesses. This population of children may live with a g-tube, central lines, ventilators, and other advanced living equipment. In addition to providing care to these children, I also served as a teacher to the parents and teachers of those children, showing them how to care for their kids and equipment. After nearly a decade at Strictly Pediatrics, I joined the Hazelwood School District as a school nurse. While I continued my career in pediatrics, I was eager to re-join a hospital environment where I could provide more advanced patient care. I joined Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in 2006, a specialty hospital in St. Louis that cares just for children with medical complexities.
Is there anything about your personal life that you would like to share with the public celebrating your award?
I am so honored to accept this award, which I was not expecting to receive. After 32 years of nursing, I am grateful to be acknowledged for the work I have done in the community.
Blottie Ussery named Excellence in Healthcare awardee
The St. Louis American Foundation’s 21st Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards will be celebrated as a free virtual event at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29. For additional details and registration, please visit givebutter.com/2021HealthSalute.
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