Walking into our hearts

The Spokane Shriners Hospital has 5 floors. The 5^th floor houses the OR and administrative offices like finance and performance improvement. The 4^th and 3^rd floors are home to patient care areas such as OPC, inpatient, rec therapy, social work, and nutrition. From the 5^th floor all the way down to the 1st floor with security and environmental services, all the staff had a singular experience, a singular unifying force.  This force was a 7-year-old boy from Gaza who stayed as a patient receiving prosthetic legs. His name was Wesseem, and “force” is an understatement.

Wesseem was born with a condition known as bilateral tibial hemimlia, a condition causing a malformation in his lower legs. Arrangements were made by the Washington State chapter of the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, a non-profit organization created “to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East.” Working with the care management team at the Spokane Shriners Hospital, arrangements were made to bring Wesseem and his mother, Sadia from their home in Gaza to Spokane with the goal of giving the young boy the ability to walk.

When mother and son arrived in Spokane, neither spoke a single word of English. As Wesseem recovered from the bilateral amputation surgery to prepare his legs to fit into custom prosthetics, the staff (nurses and security guards alike) took to teaching the lad English words and phrases. Soon his legs were healed enough to fit into his first pair of prosthetics. As Wesseem’s coordination improved, so did his English. His world expanded at the same rate as his vocabulary. Neither could keep pace, however, with the growth of his confidence. It wasn’t long before the entire hospital was introduced to a personality that would leave its mark long after he was reunited with his father and three siblings in Gaza.

With an open floor plan from ground to 5^th floor, the voice they would all come to know could be heard from anywhere in the hospital. At any point, anyone could know where he was just by listening. He raced his physical therapists down the halls, narrowly missing a nurse walking out of a room. She would smile affectionately as he sped away on his wheelchair at first…then a walker, then crutches and finally on his prosthetics without any help! Wesseem was nearing his dream of walking; of playing soccer with his friends.

Wesseem didn’t know was that as he was racing he was also learning. As he walked down to the security desk, only to call someone from the 5^th floor to bring him water, he was growing in skill and strength. Finally, he was ready. He had made new friends, nay, family and learned a new language. He learned to walk. Staff watched Wesseem walk out the front doors. Then, they did what they always do. They wiped away bittersweet tears of joy and pride and turned back to the inpatient rooms ready to give their hearts to the next child, just now checking in.

 

Care Coordination: The Shriners Hospital Difference

Imagine this: you’re in the hospital.  You are there because your knee was injured and you have surgery scheduled for tomorrow.  That’s all you know.

I know, I didn’t give you much to work with.  The fact is that actual patients in actual hospitals don’t get much more information than this.

If you are like most people, you are probably nervous.  You have questions you want answered.  You want to know that your medical care providers are all on the same page when it comes to your care.  You want to know that everything will be managed with expertise, kindness and compassion.  Am I close?

Shriners Hospitals for Children® — Spokane recognizes that a hospital visit can be a vulnerable time for anyone, but especially for children, parents and families.  This is not a time for caregivers to simply deliver medical procedures.  That care must be coordinated so that it is seamless, giving confidence and comfort to patients and families.

The Spokane Shriners Hospital’s care coordination model is designed to deliver family-centered and patient-centered care.  In this model, a care coordinator oversees families and patients as long as they are under Shriners Hospital’s care.  Care coordination proactively works on a plan of care for each patient.  Coordinators communicate with the team to provide seamless care.  They facilitate transitions in care as the patient moves between departments and finally back home.  Additionally, care coordinators connect patients with community resources and align resources with patient needs.

What does this mean?  It’s simple.  The care coordination team consists of registered nurses and social workers.  The registered nurses work with your physician to plan the care for individual patients.  The social workers accommodate transportation, housing, community resources and financial counseling as well as patient and family resources. 

This benefits the patient by giving them confidence in always knowing who to turn to when they have questions.  They can get to know one person well by talking to the same person every time, creating a level of comfort that would otherwise not be present.  They know that their Care Coordinator will address any concerns and questions with everyone who has a hand in their care.  Ultimately, care coordination offers comfort to ordinary people in vulnerable situations.  Imagine that.

WSU Shrine Game

For over 20 years, Louie Sanft has been giving generously to the Spokane Shriners Hospital.  In that time, he has donated over $35,000!  The latest  contribution came in the form of a check for $3,500 presented to Shriners, Shriners Hospitals for Children – Spokane staff, and to a very special Shriners Patient Ambassador.  Among the Shriners present were El Katif Potentate Buck Buchanan and Calam Potentate Rob Turnipseed  The presentation was made during the WSU vs UI Homecoming football game at Martin Stadium.

On Hand to help recieve the donation was Spokane Shriners Hospital Patient Ambassador, Hannah Cvancara. Hannah has been a Shriners patient since birth.  Ever since Hannah’s left leg was amputated, she has continued to push herself academically and physically, participating in six different sports, completing the Navy SEAL fitness Challenge in May, and sings and plays piano. In February of 2013, she received the honor of being crowned Miss Spokane 2013.  She was presented with an autographed WSU Football.  Hannah, currently a WSU Freshman, is a perfect reminder of the great things that Shriners Kids can perform with expert care and a positive attitude.

The night, however, focused on the generosity of Mr. Louie Sanft.  His fundraising efforts brought $3,500 to help children just like Hannah.  Thank you, Louie for all your efforts.  You are a true humanitarian.

The Difference Fun Makes

One of the many pieces setting apart Shriners Hospitals for Children is its dedication to patient- and family-centered care.  A large part of that is Shriners Hospitals’ well-developed Recreational Therapy program.  Recreational therapy elevates a trip to the hospital to a positive, lifelong memory.

The focus of recreational therapy is not necessarily the activity, but the goal behind the activity.  For example, if a child having pain does not want to get in a wheelchair, the child is encouraged to come to the rec room to play card games.  The goal is not the game; it is to get the patient up and mobilized.

Recreational therapy goes beyond using play as the proverbial carrot, however.  Research indicates that stress can be a major inhibitor in the patient’s ability to heal and stay healthy.  Recreational therapists help children manage stress, heal faster and reduce the need for sedatives and pain medication by helping children prepare for and cope with pain.

Medical procedure preparation teaches coping through play, education and self-expression.  With younger children, this is best accomplished through medical play where children have hands-on experiences with real medical equipment like IV tubes, casts and oxygen masks. This helps familiarize them with equipment and procedures.

Other forms of pain management include breathing exercises, positive self-talk and adjusting the environment (lower lighting, quieting room sounds, etc.).  Comfort positioning (deliberately using language and positioning to help the child feel secure and reassured) and family support also help the child’s stay and recovery remain positive and successful.

Recreational therapy is merely one example of Shriners Hospital’s unique approach.  Even oft overlooked details such as iPads, Xboxes and pre-surgery hospital tours are important components to the Shriners Hospital experience.  All staff, from the recreational therapists to the Chief-of-Staff, are pediatric trained and committed to a kid-friendly atmosphere.  A short visit will make it clear that you aren’t just at a hospital; you’re at Shriners Hospitals for Children.