Connect Issues Fall 2021

these needs, Cristol spoke about the value of connection, story- telling, and self-care in avoiding caregiver burnout, as well as how taking some small intentional actions on a daily basis can improve your well-being. For example, in one self-care exercise, she asked people to use their five senses to reframe daily rituals, to focus micro-moments of each day centered around touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight. DEMYSTIFYING THE HOSPITAL For many, entering the hospital is like walking into a twilight zone. There are lights, machines, and so many medical people, including doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and administration staff. While you know they are all there to help you, it can be scary when you or a loved one are facing surgery. In this session, Rita Weise, MSN, of Hoag Hospital, and Rebecca Campbell, PA-C, of John Hopkins, shared insights into the hospital to help people feel more at ease. They were joined by Barbara Lerman, a Marfan mom from New York, who has navigated many different hospitals for various surgeries for her daughter, Sydney. Rita explained how to be more prepared for the hospital experience, starting with knowing the check-in process, and she went over hospital terminology. As she said, understanding the environment can help take away the fear of the unknown. Rebecca explained who all the people are in the operating room and what their role is – from the surgeon who performs the surgery, to the fellows, residents, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners who assist the surgeon, to the surgical technician, radiology technician, anesthesiologist, certified registered nurse anesthetist, and circulating nurse. She also shared what she wishes people knew before surgery, such as: how much pain there is after surgery; that physical therapy is hard; that’s it’s important to ask for assistance from family and friends; how to improve recovery time; and that it’s normal not to feel completely yourself after leaving the hospital. Barbara offered a lot of practical advice, based on her personal experience. She encouraged attendees to question everything and be on top of all the information about their loved one to make sure it’s all correct. “If something sounds strange to you, question it,” she said. “If the nurse doesn’t answer, ring again. If the pain team is not responding to a page, have them paged again and again. If you are waiting for meds to be ordered or a test to be done and it’s not getting done, stay on top of it, keep bugging them. And if you think someone is hurting your child, like a tech who can’t find a vein for an IV, request a new tech or ask for the charge nurse. Do whatever it takes to keep your child calm and comfortable whenever possible.” “And don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself or your child no matter how annoying you think you are being.”

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Fall 2021