Physician assistant Staci Shaffer has always been a bit of a “night owl,” so it’s no surprise that she is Akron Children’s first advanced practice provider (APP) night house officer, hired in 2017 when this service was added. “I am happiest at 2 a.m.,” she said. Staci loves the variety that this role offers, as […]
PICU nurse Christian Fair shares why working at Akron Children’s is more than a job
Akron Children’s bedside nurses are some of the first faces patients see when they are admitted to the hospital. As such, they wear many hats from caregiver to counselor to educator. It takes a special person to be a pediatric nurse, and Akron Children’s is lucky to have many exceptional caregivers, like pediatric intensive care […]
Hanging up the telephones: Tina Glass plans a retirement that features family, volunteering and farming
People in need have always found support from Tina Glass, telecommunications supervisor at Akron Children’s. As an ambulance medic and member of Akron Children’s critical care transport team, Tina provided emergency medical care and ensured the safe, efficient transfer of critically ill patients. She brought the same type of support to telecommunications where she and […]
A parent’s perspective: Witnessing the power of our PICU
Many of us wear multiple hats in life. Advanced practice providers are no different. They dedicate themselves to caring for children, but at home, they’re simply parents. The following story comes from a place many providers can relate to – the vulnerability of their own child’s health and the profound gratitude for the incredible care […]
Mother/daughter cherish the opportunity to work together in the PICU, hope their research will leave it a better place
When Cathleen Tichy-Dreher, known to all as “Tichy,” a nurse practitioner with more than 4 decades of experience in pediatric critical care, joined Akron Children’s PICU in 2019, she noticed that the nurse practitioners and the medical residents in the unit were not working as collegially as she had experienced at her previous hospitals. Advance […]
Narrative medicine, patient journals support patients on their health care journey
As narrative medicine coordinator, Nicole Robinson witnesses on a daily basis the healing power of listening to the stories of our patients, their families and our hospital staff. “Narrative medicine is the use of literary arts to help patients, families and staff tell and listen to stories,” she said. “For children and families, it may […]
