Ruthie Youssefi, APRN-CNP, is a pediatric nurse practitioner at Akron Kids’s.
Every single day at Akron Kids’s, we try to ship compassionate care and create optimistic experiences for our sufferers and households. This month, we’re spotlighting Ruthie Youssefi, APRN-CNP, a pediatric nurse practitioner, who lately obtained the next suggestions from a affected person household:
“Ruthie (Youssefi) was phenomenal! My daughter was nervous throughout this go to and cried, however Ruthie spoke so kindly to her, comforted her, requested questions on unrelated issues (to construct rapport and present curiosity in my daughter’s life). I couldn’t be happier with my go to with this supplier. Ruthie additionally spent a lot time with us. I by no means felt rushed. I felt like she was listening to me. She validated issues that I mentioned and provided her opinion. My daughter was significantly nervous concerning the bodily examination and Ruthie by no means made her really feel pressured. She was extremely versatile. Ruthie is the best supplier for a kids’s hospital.”
How lengthy have you ever labored at Akron Kids’s, and what’s your function?
I began at Akron Kids’s in 2001 as a nurse tech, whereas I used to be nonetheless in nursing faculty. After I graduated in 2003, my husband and I briefly moved to Cincinnati. We got here again a number of months later, and I’ve been at Akron Kids’s ever since. I’ve been with the Urology division for 20 years, and now, I’m a nurse practitioner.
Reflecting on this expertise and the suggestions you obtained, how do you are feeling about it?
It feels superior that somebody shared this. I attempt onerous to be a very good supplier, and this was a pleasant reminder of why I work on this discipline and began at Akron Kids’s. I’m right here for the children. It’s all the time good to know that folks worth and recognize the work we do.
How do you construct rapport together with your sufferers to make them really feel comfy?
Urology is usually a delicate space and topic to speak about, so I attempt to ask them about different issues like, the place do you go to high school? Do you play sports activities? I give attention to them as an individual first, after which construct on that rapport to search out out extra about why they’re right here.
If I do an examination, I attempt to be delicate in my strategy to make them comfy. I additionally reassure them that I see plenty of different children with the identical points. I would like them to know that even when it’s one thing folks don’t speak about with their associates or neighbors, it’s widespread, they usually’re not alone.
What does patient- and family-centered care imply to you? How do you attempt to ship that care?
To me, it means together with everybody within the course of. I sometimes get behind on my charting, as a result of I don’t like a pc display screen whereas I’m speaking to a affected person or household. I like to listen to from mother and pa, but additionally like to listen to immediately from the affected person, particularly if we’re therapy plans. I contain the affected person and ask, “How are you feeling about this?” It’s necessary that we determine collectively.
What do you most get pleasure from about your work at Akron Kids’s?
I’ve all the time identified that I needed to work with children, so I can’t think about not working on this discipline and caring for kids. Working right here permits me to do this each single day.
I additionally love to show, and there’s a facet of that in my job. In Urology, I can educate children methods to do sure issues, like catheterize themselves. Now and again, I’ll get a MyChart message that claims, “Hey, I’m doing it myself! Mother and pa don’t have to assist me anymore.” That’s superior, and it all the time makes me really feel good to know that they’re studying.
