Romanowski is a burn surgeon at Shriners Children ’ s Northern California and associate professor at the UC Davis School of Medicine . Parry , a physical therapist , will be the first non-physician president of the American Burn Association , the leading association for burn care in the U . S . Bartlett , intensive care unit nurse manager , oversees all burn patients ’ specialty pediatric care . Nurse practitioners Martens and Owens are the glue that binds the program together according to Palmieri , who says , “ All of these women are great people who define the Shriners Children ’ s spirit .”
Burn care is a highly focused specialty that ’ s not regularly taught in medical school , yet every year thousands of children suffer burn injuries . “ There ’ s a void in knowing how to care for children with burns , but Shriners Children ’ s fills that void ,” Palmieri says . “ We provide burn care and education , and are developing standards for how burn care should be delivered for the best outcomes . Through our education and research , we help other burn centers improve their quality of care , too .”
Shriners Children ’ s physicians and staff have battled through the COVID-19 pandemic , overcoming staff shortages and supply chain challenges , which are both significant because burn care requires many resources such as medications and dressings and intensive , hands-on care . “ I ’ m proud of this institution for having continued to keep the patient in the center of care and creating a safe environment for patients and staff ,” Palmieri says . Though challenging , the pandemic helped advance telehealth methods , extending the Shriners Children ’ s reach to patients who can ’ t make the trip to Sacramento . Through this technology , the team continues to fulfill its mission locally , regionally , nationally and internationally , working remotely with medical professionals worldwide . “ It ’ s been 25 years of dedication to excellence and dedication to patients ,” Palmieri says . “ I think we have the best jobs in the world — yes , our patients have burn injuries , but we get to envision what they can become and help them get there .”
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