Megan Burns, Hospice RN at Nationwide Children's Hospice and Palliative Care
Each month our selection committee selects a special nominee to be the monthly winner of the Hospice Caregiver Award. We then reach out to the nominator and make arrangements to come and surprise this person in front of a group of their peers. Sometimes when we arrive, staff will share with us that the winner does not like to be singled out as special because they believe exceptional care is a team effort. Often, this is one of the reasons the person is nominated in the first place – because of their dedication to caring for the patients and their families.
Megan Burns, RN with Nationwide Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care, is one of those amazing caregivers who does not do the work for recognition – but because she is passionate about caring for her patients and their families.
Megan was nominated by two of her peers (Sarah Leighty and Julia Moore) and here is what they had to say about her:
Sarah Leighty: It was evident when I first began working with Megan that she was a wealth of knowledge with a spirit of always wanting to do what was best for each patient. Megan is always sure to meet each patient and family where they are in their health journey. I have watched her exhibit the patience of a saint as families have not been able to grasp an understanding of their child’s dying or what is going on with their child’s body. She provides constant, kind re-education as it is needed to better support families and their children. I watched her do this with a mother of 5 who did not understand her child’s constant seizing was slowly taking his life. Another mother in a high-risk social situation, with 4 children who needed constant re-education regarding feeding of her complex newborn. Again, with a mother who left her country to be present with her dying young adult daughter. The list could go on forever! My point is, in each of these unpredictable situations, Megan was a constant for them. She remained unwavering, a voice of reason and guidance to give patients comforting care and families the education they needed to make educated decisions to feel confident in their own ability to care for their child. Megan truly does it all and expects nothing in return. Ever! Megan does not leave any stone unturned as she is always willing to collaborate with others, whatever the discipline. She is always receptive towards suggestions or a different perspective. I have heard directly from the families what an asset Megan is to have in their home and on their child’s care team and I could not agree more. She treats each patient and family with the utmost respect and dignity that they each deserve. Her ability to connect with others, regardless of their background is something that a textbook cannot teach and something that could be a role model to us all. I hope I never have to experience what our families manage on a daily basis. But if I did, I would want Megan or someone just like her to care for my child. She is reliable, determined, hardworking, patient, open minded, and beyond knowledgeable which is why I believe she is more than deserving of receiving the hospice caregiver award.
Julia Moore: Megan is one of our hospice/palliative care nurses. She is an APN working in an RN role because she is doing what she wants to be doing. We hoped that a more expansive role might be developed for her, but so far that has not happened. As one of the social workers on the team, I have frequently observed Megan patiently and effectively providing information to patients and their families no matter how long it takes and/or how many times she may have to repeat the same information. I have observed her effortlessly connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds while remaining mindful of cultural considerations. In conversations with Megan, I have learned that she is what we used to call a straight shooter; she says what she means and means what she says. She stands by her principles and accepts people as they are. She also manages to find time to bring homemade baked goods to our IDT meetings whenever there is a special occasion. She is quite possibly the most compassionate and non-judgmental nurse I have ever met in the 30 plus years that I have been working in the medical field. I know we won’t be able to keep her forever; she is an APN for Pete’s sake! That said, it has been an absolute honor working with her and I can only hope I would have someone that knowledgeable, kind, and caring anywhere near me when my time on earth comes to a close. Thank you for your consideration.
Congratulations, Megan. You exemplify what it means to be a hospice caregiver.