With more than 11,000 nurses in our Atrium Health family, we wanted to recognize these health heroes and take some time to see what a day in the life of our nurses looks like. And while each day may look different for our nurses, there's one thing that remains constant — a nurse's passion for patient care. Let's take a look at one of these passionate nurses at Atrium Health's Levine Children's Hospital: Meet, Sarah Boyd RN II, BSN 👋
Sarah started her first year at LCH as a tech just over a decade ago, and has since been working on the pediatric hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplant unit as a nurse.
"The love for our patients on this unit is something fierce. We can’t help but carry their burdens, their fears, and celebrate their victories. It’s who we are. They are what keep us coming back everyday," says Sarah. "The coloring, the saline wars, the hide and seeks, the scavenger hunts, the tears, and the parades down the hall are what we focus on and live for. Not the chemo, the blood, the protocols. Yes they are all apart of this journey called cancer, but they are not the only parts and not what define us."
Here, Sarah gets ready to take us behind the scenes to show us what a day is like for her at the hospital and to introduce us to her patients and other members of her team.
Sarah’s day typically begins around 5 a.m. to get ready for work and to “meal prep” for her little one at home. “This view of my little man is what will get me through the next 13 hours,” she says.
Once at the hospital, the day begins with hematology/oncology team rounding with nurse Chante, nurse practitioner Colleen, and Javier Oesterheld, MD, medical director of the pediatric cancer program at Levine Children's Hospital.
We ran into Robbie, the new materials resource manager, in the hallway. Sarah says, “Robbie is phenomenal. Always so friendly and does a great job stocking for us which helps us so much to provide the care we need.”
In addition to being National Nurses Week back in May, it was also spirit week on LCH 11! On this day, nurses dressed up in their rainbow colors.
Sarah with one of her sweet patients, Dominic. He's five years old, full of laughter, and currently getting treatment for Burkitt Lymphoma.
Time for a little snack break. Manager, Kerry Bratcher, made special Nurses Week cookies for the team.
Each day at 2 p.m., Sarah and some of her teammates meet in the medicine room to collect and administer medication to their patients.
We’re always so amazed by the patients we get to meet. We ran into Mary Katherine, another patient on Sarah’s floor, taking a stroll down the hall. She is currently getting treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and her determination is one-of-a-kind.
Sarah’s shift ends around 7:30 p.m., when she will rush home to give a few moments of love before bedtime. “At the end of a long shift, I rush home for few minutes of cuddles. These moments give me the strength to do it all over again tomorrow for the babies who need me.”
Sounds like a busy day! We loved having Sarah show us around, but we'll let her get back to her daily responsibilities. Thanks so much for letting us follow along, Sarah! And thank you for everything you do to make sure our pediatric patients are cared for!
