Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1187856
"I have the privilege of caring for the future." Danny Michael Pech, RN, BSN, CCRN Pediatric Intensive Care Unit LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL "Informatics is about problem solving." Thomas Schuyler, RN Clinical Informatics HENRY MAYO NEWHALL HOSPITAL What do you particularly love about your specialty? I enrolled in nursing school after being a mili- tary healthcare specialist/combat medic. I remember thinking really hard before applying for this position because I knew the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) required a special type of person, but I also knew that the work would make me a better nurse, a better father and a better person. Once I started working in this unit, I knew it was where I needed to be. As a PICU nurse, I have the privilege of caring for the future. Family members entrust me to care for the most important people in their lives: their children. Please share the funniest or most moving thing that's happened to you as a nurse (bearing HIPAA in mind). One of the most difficult situations critical care providers experience is the passing of a patient. The PICU is no different, but it's hard to express how it feels to have a child you've cared for pass. I don't think I can narrow it down to one specific moment, but there have been many difficult days in the PICU that were very emotional and overwhelming. Each holds a special place in my heart. What has being a nurse taught you? That having sympathy is different than having empathy. One of the most important steps in caring for a critically ill child is to take time to listen and make a connection with the patient and family. I've also learned to never take any- thing for granted — life-altering events happen in the blink of an eye. What do you particularly love about your specialty? It presents me with constant learning opportu- nities. Informatics is all about problem-solv- ing: looking at a process and figuring out how to fill gaps or create improve- ment. We interact with all the patient care services in the hospital and learn how each affects a patient's stay. While we do not focus on individual patient care, we do focus on how nurses interact with and care for their patients. We break down and analyze every step in the process to determine the safest, most streamlined, most meaning- ful workflow for our patients and end users. Please share the funniest or most moving thing that's happened to you as a nurse (bearing HIPAA in mind). I previously worked in a medical-surgical unit, where I took care of a gentlemen who underwent an elective bilateral knee replacement. The patient was energetic and highly motivated. In three shifts, he had progressed so well that we were able to discharge him home ahead of schedule. About a year later, my wife and I were headed to an OB appoint- ment when I heard my name being called. That same patient was jog- ging down the walkway to greet us. He jumped up and down, show- ing off his "new knees" and talking about all the activities he had been able to resume post-surgery. What has being a nurse taught you? I would have had no idea that nurses did anything other than work bedside. This includes my specialty of informatics! Most people, fellow nurses included, do not understand the role of the nurse in informatics. WN MEN IN NURSING 2019 30 Working Nurse l WorkingNurse.com November 18, 2019–January 13, 2020