Issue link: https://fredparent.uberflip.com/i/1533132
www.FredericksburgParent.NET 27 RiDonna Walker, MSN, RNC-MNN, Nurse Manager for Mother Baby & Pediatrics Ann Weed, MSN, NE-BC, RNC-OB, Director of Women's and Children's Services for Mary Washington Healthcare Lana Ismail, MD, Pediatric Hospitalist with Children'sNational Hospital, Medical Director of the Children's National Pediatric Hospitalist Program at Mary Washington Healthcare "Our hematologist-oncologist tries to keep as many children as possible in the area who need transfusions or medications," says Dr. Ismail. "It's been really great to work with them and to be able to keep caring for these chil- dren here and not have to send them away." In cases where children need to move to a larger children's hospital to receive the care they need, the staff at Mary Washington Healthcare works closely with families so that they know what to expect, and also takes into account family preferences on which children's hospital might work best for that family. Family-Centered Care Pediatrics at Mary Washington Hospital is part of the larger Women's and Children's Care Center, and its approach to pediatric hospital care is part of a broader focus on family-centered care throughout the journey of pregnancy, birth and childhood, says RiDonna Walker, MSN, RNC-MNN, Nurse Manager for Mother Baby & Pediatrics. "We start when you have your baby, and then if your baby needs sup- port from our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mary Washington Hospital, we can support that. If your child needs to be admitted after they are born here at the hospital, we have our pediatric unit to support that. You will find a similar team of nurses and a similar leadership team that is here to care for you and your baby as a family," Walker says. Ann Weed, MSN, NE-BC, RNC-OB, Director of Women's Services for Mary Washington Healthcare, adds that the nursing staff that supports Women's and Children's Care at Mary Washington is highly experienced, and the longevity of the nurses on staff shows the commitment of this local team to providing expert, compassionate care to area children. "We use a team approach to caring—it's not just one person. Our entire team works to ensure these children are cared for," Walker says. "The majority of us have children with other diagnoses who have been admit- ted to our pediatric unit. I always tell people I've been to other hospitals and I trust our providers 100% to where I would want my child readmit- ted here." Weed says the staff's focus on serving the local community gives the Mary Washington Hospital pediatric unit a family atmosphere. "I feel like we've taken care of each other's children," Weed says. "We treat people like family. I see it very often. Parents will pop out of the rooms and just chat with the nurses. They feel very comfortable with the care team, and I think people feel like they're in their community, and that they're with people who really care." Walker says that just a few weeks ago, two parents who had had multiple children admitted to the Pediatric Unit remembered her and other mem- bers of the care team from another one of their children's hospital visits five years ago. "They were able to meet and grow relationships with our nurses and remember them by name," Walker said. "They said, 'We wouldn't have preferred our child to go anywhere else,' because they are confident in the care we provide. It just speaks to our family-centered approach, and how we build those relationships with patients." To learn more, visit MWHC-pediatrics.com