Back row, from left: Frances Cartwright, PhD; Lauraine Spano-Szekely, DNP, MBA, BSN, RN; Anna Mazerski, RN; Iwona Wisniewski, BSN, RN; Abeyson Jacob, RN; David Reich, MD; and Jeffrey Saland, MD. Front row, from left: Juzlyn Noboa, RN; Vernalyn Sangatanan, BSN, RN; Theresa Dequito, RN; Shanti Basnet, RN; Yvette Cummings, RN; and Hilary Hotchkiss, MD.
“This is a recognition of a group of hemodialysis nurses who was called upon for the uncommon and challenging task of hemodialysis for a newborn infant with a life-threatening condition only dialysis could help. The nurses are: Shanti Basnet, RN, Vernalyn Sangatanan, RN, Abeyson Jacob, RN, Anna Mazerski, BSN, RN, Theresa Dequito, RN, and Iwona Wisniewski, RN.
Overnight in the wee hours of May 24 and late into that day this group of nurses provided 10 hours of amazing care. I credit also Juzlyn Noboa, RN, and Yvette Cummings, RN, the nurse managers for dialysis, for enabling these nurses to work in pairs for this baby, recognizing the need for more hands to make this risky procedure as safe as possible. Though called late at night and past standard hours, the team was well-prepared and mobilized without hesitation.
These dedicated dialysis nurses seamlessly integrated into the larger nursing and physician and tech teams of the PICU. It was like a tango as they worked together to keep the dialysis circuit running in the center of a whirlwind of acutely intensive care for this newborn. All 3 dialysis sessions totaling 10 hours were successfully carried out in about 18 hours.
Hemodialysis for infants is a procedure few institutions can perform and the reason the baby was transferred to The Mount Sinai Hospital. We should be proud of our dialysis team. It is among the finest anywhere.”
Jeff Saland, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Nephrology and Hypertension, Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital, and Medical Director, Pediatric Kidney Transplant Service, Recanati Miller Transplant Institute (RMTI) of Mount Sinai.