Valerie is our ward coordinator. She reviews the schedule each morning and ensures that all patients are accounted for and ready the morning of surgery. If the schedule changes throughout the day, she keeps everything in order on the ward to help minimize confusion that may arise. Valerie connects with the children and their families and helps to facilitate the concerns of the parents.
John also works in the ward transporting patients. He escorts each child to the surgical ward when their name is called. He is often on hand to comfort a parent once their child has entered surgery and the long wait for the parent begins. He works closely with Varlarie and others to facilitate parents' concerns.
Katy starts each day by greeting the children and their families in the ward and acts as a recreational therapist. In her pack are toys, books, coloring books and crayons for the children to use as they wait for their name to be called for surgery. Katy speaks Spanish and is the one often called on to translate parents' questions and concerns.
Valerie, John and Katy are the heart of a smoothly functioning ward. In addition to their described jobs, they connected with the families to calm and console a frightened parent, to ease the distress of a child who hasn't had anything to eat of drink for hours while waiting, and to comfort and share in the joy of the families when their child has returned from surgery.