WINTER 2020
dmittedly , the odds were against this sweet , elderly woman . Positive for the coronavirus , she had sheltered in place at home until she had deteriorated so much she had to be brought in to the hospital by EMS with oxygen saturation too low to sustain life . But while others may have given up on her , her nurse refused to .
“ I went home that night frustrated that there wasn ’ t more that we could do . I wanted to beat the odds ,” Hailey Wheeler ,
RN , the woman ’ s nurse , said . “ I even called a colleague who was caring for her as well and said , ‘ Let ’ s prove everyone wrong . Let ’ s get her better . Let ’ s get her home .’”
After pouring life and love into her for two weeks — including arranging for her to see her family outside on Easter Sunday to cheer her on — Hailey informed the woman that her second COVID test had come back negative . The woman would go home the next day with a second chance at life .
“ As nurses , we may not always have the best days . We may see the absolute worst day after day . But it is in small moments like this that the light shines through and shows us that faith is so much stronger than fear . I will never forget the light coming back to her eyes or the call from her family thanking me for being her angel . Little did they know , she was the true angel all along ,” Wheeler said .
The World Health Organization designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale ' s birth , which also is a fitting acknowledgment of the incredible dedication of nurses who continue to battle on the front lines of the pandemic . Investing in nursing , experts agree , is critical to the future of healthcare . “ Nurses are the heroes who calmly look disease , discomfort and even death directly in the face and carry on with brave selflessness ,” said Janice Walker , DHA , RN ,
BSN , executive vice president and chief nursing officer of Baylor Scott & White Health . “ They are truly the front line for humanity ’ s health , and giving them the tools , training and support they need to do their jobs well not only allows them to
Inside this issue
Departments
2 From Leadership
8 From the Chair
Focus On : Research
Dr . Lucy Wallace
5
News , Projects & Campaigns
2 Canine Companions
2 Holiday Tribute Cards
3 Academic Affiliations Enhance Medical Education
4 21st Annual Celebrating Women Goes Virtual
6 Fannon Gift to Child Life Services Program
7 Dr . Göran Klintmalm Retires
Photos of unmasked nurses were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic . Continued on pg 8